Buy Flower Bulbs

Things to consider before you buy flower bulbs for your garden.

Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in the fall and can be ordered until the mid of December.
Summer flowering bulbs should be planted late spring and can be ordered until June.
Autumn flowering bulbs should be planted early summer and can be ordered until the mid August.

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Tips For Purchasing Flower Bulbs

Firm and Solid plant today...Soft and Squishy throw away
Bulbs should be solid, firm and heavy for their size. If you have a large bulb and it is light compared to other bulbs of the same size, toss it away.
Check the tip and the bottom of the bulb to make sure they're firm.

Check for bruises, cuts and scrapesIt can be hard to tell on some bulbs if they have bruises or cuts. Sometimes you can softly rub your finger over the bulb and feel a slight dent. If so, you'll want to pass over that particular one.

Bulbs are graded
It's something that really isn't talked about much.
Lets say you are looking at buying Darwin Tulips. A grower will take all their Darwin bulbs and sort them. The larger bulbs get grouped together and are given a higher grade than the smaller garden bulbs do.
Large bulbs typically produce bigger and better flowers and as such get a higher grade and a higher price tag. The smaller bulbs will still produce, they're just not as spectacular and so get a lesser grade and a lesser price tag.

Newer Varieties Cost More
This is typically because the supply can not meet the demand. If you are patient and wait a year or two, the price will drop to a more affordable range. I prefer to wait a year or two after a plant is introduced into the market to make sure it lives up to its perceived reputation.

Bulb Catalogs To Buy Flower Bulbs Online

Garden centers and local retail stores carry bulbs that sell the best for the area. If you want some really unique bulbs your best bet is to order them from bulb catalogs.

Natures' Hill catalog request

scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see a free catalog link. Just click that and be taken to the page to sign up for one. There is also a newletter sign up on the catalog request page.

A great place to buy flower bulbs is BloomingBulb.com for #1 quality Holland flower bulbs... at wholesale prices!
They don't have a paper catalog, but they do have a newsletter that lets you know when something new is in stock.

Click here for $20 off your first order of $50 or more at Michigan Bulb!

More About Bulbs

Garden Bulbs
Bulb Care
Bulb Food
Flower Bulbs
Deer Resistant Bulbs
Spring Bulbs
Summer Bulbs
Fall Bulbs
Storing Bulbs
Planting Bulbs
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