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How Deep Should You Plant Spring-Flowering Bulbs?

By
Colleen Vanderlinden
Colleen Vanderlinden

Colleen Vanderlinden is an organic gardening expert. She wrote the books Edible Gardening for the Midwest and Vegetable Gardening for the Midwest, and her writing has appeared in Mother Earth News, Northern Gardener, The Detroit News, and Birds & Blooms.

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Updated on 09/12/22
Reviewed by
Debra LaGattuta
Debra LaGattuta
Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a Master Gardener with 30+ years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

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Planting Flower Bulbs
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The proper planting depth for spring-flowering bulbs is important for overall plant health as well as ensuring the bulbs will bloom. Different types of flowering bulbs need to be planted at different depths, but a good general rule of thumb is to plant the bulb at three times the height of the bulb. So, for example, if a bulb is two inches from tip to base, you'd plant it six inches deep.

Ideal Planting Depth by Bulb Type

When you purchase spring-flowering bulbs, follow the planting instructions on the bulb packaging. If you don't have that information, follow the standard recommended planting depths for some of the most common types of spring-flowering bulbs (planting depth is measured from the surface of the soil to the shoulder of the bulb):

3 to 4 Inches

6 to 8 Inches

How and Where to Plant Bulbs

Spring-flowering bulbs are planted in the fall in containers or in garden beds. If you plant spring-flowering bulbs in containers, make sure the container has drainage holes and is the appropriate diameter based on the bulbs' growing instructions.

When planting spring-flowering bulbs in the ground, remove all weeds, rocks, and other debris from the area. Loosen the soil, and mix in some compost or other organic matter or add a slow-release fertilizer if the soil lacks nutrients.

A general rule for planting bubs is when a bulb has a pointy tip, such as tulips do, the pointy side goes up. If the bulb has sprouts but no pointy tip, the sprouting side goes up. Bulbs that have no discernible up or down side, such as anemones, can usually be planted in any direction and the sprouts will find their way to daylight.

Where you plant bulbs is equally as important as how deep they are planted. Most bulbs do best in well-drained, loamy soil in an area that receives at least six hours of full sun daily.

After planting, spread one to two inches of mulch over the bulbs to help to retain soil moisture and inhibit weeds. Don't forget to water the bulbs at initial planting time which will help develop their root system before winter sets in.   Do not provide additional water after initial planting.

Tip

If your bulbs are at risk of being dug up and eaten by animals such as chipmunks or squirrels, lay a piece of chicken wire on top of the planting area and weigh it down with stones or fasten it down with metal pins. You can leave the chicken wire in place even when the bulb begins to sprout. As an alternative, you can bury a piece of chicken wire directly on top of the bulbs to protect them from being dug up.

To prolong bloom time and create a beautiful effect, you can layer spring-blooming bulbs. Plant smaller and early-blooming bulbs such as crocus, grape hyacinths, and scilla on top of larger bulbs, like daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips.  The larger bulbs go into the planting hole first, covered with a layer of soil, topped by the smaller bulbs planted a little closer to the soil surface.