As autumn settles in and the air turns crisp, Martha is already daydreaming about the radiant colors that spring will bring to her farm.
In her latest post on the Martha Blog, she shares a cherished annual tradition: the planting of thousands of bulbs each fall.
This ritual not only prepares her gardens for a stunning spring show but also captures the excitement that comes with tucking these little gems into the earth, eagerly awaiting their colorful spring debut.
Gathering the Bulbs
Each year, Martha gathers an impressive quantity of bulbs for both her Bedford farm and her Maine garden at Skylands.
This season, she is excited to work with selections from two family-owned businesses based in Connecticut: Van Engelen Inc., a wholesale bulb company in Bantam, and Colorblends, a well-established flower merchant from Bridgeport.
The Planting Process
By planting spring-flowering bulbs during the fall months, Martha gives the bulbs ample time to root and acclimatize to their winter surroundings.
The process begins with her dedicated head gardener, Ryan McCallister, who carefully sorts and organizes the bulbs in their garden library.
He categorizes them based on type and preferred planting location, ensuring a smooth planting experience.
Martha’s team employs a variety of tools tailored to the size of the bulbs being planted.
For the larger bulbs, they rely on T-handled dibbers to create soil cavities, while smaller bulbs go into holes made with traditional bulb planters featuring 6-inch barrels.
These tools help remove and reposition the soil after the bulbs are placed.
When the ground is particularly tough, they turn to garden auger drill bits which help create larger planting holes.
To enhance soil vitality, Martha makes a point of mixing in organic Bulb-tone fertilizer into the top layer of soil before planting.
She speaks to the significance of using a balanced fertilizer rich in phosphorus; this key nutrient aids in fortifying the bulbs against diseases and pests, helping ensure a healthy growth cycle.
As each bulb is nestled into its hole, it is buried about 3 to 5 inches deep.
Martha notes the importance of using the dibber for this stage, gently placing each bulb with its pointed end facing upwards to encourage optimal growth.
While an incorrectly planted bulb might still bloom, it often takes longer to do so, which Martha prefers to avoid.
Looking Forward to Spring
Once all the bulbs are placed and the soil is packed tightly over them, Martha looks forward to the vibrant display of blossoms that will transform her farm come spring.
She encourages fellow gardening enthusiasts to seize the moment and plant bulbs of their own, reminding everyone that there is still time left to cultivate beauty in their gardens.
Source: Marthastewart