Flowering spring bulbs add color and beauty to your garden when you need it most after a chilly, gray winter. But if you want to enjoy their blooms in the spring, you must plant them ahead of time.

T he time comes every late summer or early fall when attention turns to buying spring bulbs to provide those beautiful and inspirational early blooms next year. The catalogues and websites are ...

And then there’s the, “Oh, I waited too long and now it’s too late to buy and/or plant bulbs.” That is one powerful bit of anti-motivation to keep you from your self-appointed task.

Results may vary if one plants crocus bulbs this late in the season. They may do well in the spring, or there may not be enough time for proper root development.

The strappy-leaf plants grow 15 to 18 inches tall and send up lupine-like flower spikes of pinkish-blue to violet-blue another foot or so in late spring. White-blooming versions also are available.

I find it much simpler to plant bulbs than sowing seeds, but even though there’s less to go wrong, it’s still possible to make some errors. Here are 7 bulb planting mistakes to avoid to ensure you can ...

Spring flowers go into the ground as bulbs in the fall—and by late summer, when it’s time to order the bulbs, and fall, when you plant them, your memory of the awe and wonder you felt back in ...

About the time bulbs are going dormant in late spring, it’s time to plant new annuals for the season (typically around Mother’s Day). They can go between or even right over top of the buried ...

Timing: Maybe you’re planting too early or too late for spring-blooming bulbs. Plant too early and they’re susceptible to disease. Plant too late and they may not have enough time to develop.

Label your bulb plantings or make a drawing so you don’t disturb the bulbs come spring. Water after planting and water through the fall and winter (every 3-4 weeks) if it’s dry.

Most spring bulbs need a significant period of time in chilly soil temps, typically around 35°-45°F, spanning 10 to 14 weeks, though it can vary depending on the specific type of bulb. There are ...