What is a Bulb?

A bulb is a food storage unit with a flower in it. The bulbs that you bought have a flower inside the bulb. A bulb is never dormant and breaths air just like humans. When you store bulbs make sure they can breath air in a dark cool area. A bulb has all the ingredients to bloom in spring as long as it will go through a cold period of 8 -12 weeks.

How do I plant my bulbs?

Pointy end up.

All bulbs have a top and a bottom, called the basal (base) plate. The pointier end is generally the top. With small bulbs, such as Anemone blanda, Scilla and others, it’s not always easy to tell. For planting, the general rule is "plant the point end up."

The other rule, not quite so catchy, is "basal plate down." The basal plate is the flat part on the bottom of the bulb from which the roots will sprout. Take a good look and it’s not too hard to find this flat, usually darker basal plate.

If you're unsure, plant the bulb sideways. Even if you make a mistake, take heart. Bulbs will effectively right themselves underground as their roots tend to pull them into the proper growing position. They really are that easy to grow!

For tips on growing your spring-flowering bulbs, visit the collection-specific page.