A Time to Plant

Today's planting

Last October I planted spring bulbs for the first time and was as amazed by tulips and daffodils in May as I was by the "prairie garden" a few months later. A few weeks ago, I bought a few bulbs at Menard's to supplement the flowers that should bloom again next spring.

On my first attempt, I dug a hole large enough to qualify me as a gravedigger. Those bulbs -- buried excessively deep -- didn't do so well. The hastily planted daffodils and tulips in the area east of the house did much better, so this morning I approached the job with what might have been misplaced confidence.

I'm used to yard work now, and it doesn't exhaust me the way it once did. I expanded the operation into the west garden, prepared the ground and planted about 65 crocuses, tulips and hyacinths in a couple of hours.

Sad to admit quality control hasn't improved much, if at all. I quickly tired of weeding and turning the soil, and was soon throwing the bulbs in hastily dug holes too quickly to ensure proper depth or adequate space for each bulb.

There is no deep black hole year this fall. In fact, most of the bulbs are much too close to the surface, so I'm simply crossing my fingers.
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