Daffodil (photo by Martha Cantrell)
Martha Cantrell, Denton County Master Gardener
First, they are called “fall bulbs,” because they are planted in the fall. They bloom in spring, some in very early spring. Grape Hyacinth (Muscari), for example, can bloom when snow is on the ground and are sometimes planted in lawns, because they are finished blooming long before the turf comes out of dormancy. Fall bulbs can add badly needed color to an otherwise bleak landscape and bring the hope of spring and all its glory.
Second, because of our short, warm winters, our fall bulbs need vernalization before planting. That’s a fancy word derived from the Latin root “vernus,” which means “of spring” or to make spring-like. It simply means we must prechill our fall bulbs before we plant them. The rule of prechilling bulbs is this: More is better than less. You can’t over-chill bulbs. Bulbs that don’t get sufficient chilling tend to be stunted, if they bloom at all. And if they bloom, the flowers open down in the leaves, and both leaves and flowers are stunted and short.
To prechill your spring-blooming bulbs you will need a minimum of 45 to 60 days of chill time. You should put them in your refrigerator crisper that does not contain fruit or vegetables, which can give off ethylene gas. Ethylene gas is harmless to people but can harm bulbs. If you have a fridge used for beer and soft drinks and no food, that would be ideal.
After chilling, the best time to plant your spring-blooming bulbs is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Planting them too early will reverse the chilling process.
Lastly, here are my favorite fall bulbs that grow very well in North Texas. Plant these and you will have gorgeous, early-spring color when the rest of the area is grey.
My Top Spring-Blooming Bulbs to Plant in the Fall: Tulips, Dutch Hyacinth, Daffodils, and Paperwhites
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)
Learn more about the Denton County Master Gardener Association at dcmga.com.