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Landscaping in the Fall in Toronto can be enjoyed by planting various bulbs for spring blooming. Local garden centres are full of bulbs that can be planted anytime in the fall before the soil freezes. Buying bulbs is like purchasing fresh fruit at the grocery store, look for firm, large bulbs.

Bulbs are perennial plants that have a fleshy underground structure that consists of all they need to grow and produce flowers. Corms, tubers and rhizomes are very similar to bulbs but their structure is different.

Here are some examples of each form:

True Hardy Bulbs: Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinth and Alliums. These types of bulbs can be left in the ground and will re-bloom each year.

Corms: Crocus can be left in the ground once planted. Gladiolus is a corm and needs to be removed from the garden each fall and replanted in the spring as it is not hardy in our climate.

Tuberous Roots: Dahlia. These need to be removed from the ground each Fall and stored in a dry, cool, dark location. These tender bulbs will need to be replanted in the Spring once the danger of frost has pasted.

Rhizomes:  Cana Lilies. These also need to be removed from the garden in the Fall and replanted in the Spring), Lily-of-the-Valley and some Irises.

Planting bulbs in the Fall is an enjoyable task for any gardening enthusiast. Ensure the soil is well drained. No fertilizer is needed. Bulbs come with planting instructions which include the depth to plant the bulb. Each type of bulb needs to be planted at a certain depth and failure to plant at the proper depth will result in poor growth or lack of bloom. Be creative with your bulb planting by digging a hole and planting bulbs in layers. For example tulips can be planted at the bottom, then fill in and add crocus and daffodils at their appropriate planting depth.   Try planting bulbs with different bloom times, from early spring to the summer. Bulbs can be enjoyed well into the summer, not just the spring.

After the bulbs have flowered, it is important to only cut off the spent flower stem not the leaves. If you cut off the leaves before they have died down naturally, the bulb will not have the reserves to grow and flower the following year. This is a good tip for beginner gardeners to remember. Dying bulb foliage can be unsightly in a garden so perhaps you can plant annuals around the bulbs or be clever and plant your bulbs in areas inside your perennial gardens.

The excitement of planting bulbs in Toronto in the fall is the surprise you will see in the spring! Just think of all the colourful shapes and sizes of the various bulbs you have to choose from. Your spring time gardening will never be the same. Residential landscaping gardens in Toronto can be enhanced by planting bulbs. Get out outside and start adding some anticipation to your gardens.

 

 

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