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Planting and Bulb Depths
About Planting Depths
Bulbs should always be planted at the right depth for their species. When properly planted, they will grow and flower well, reproduce, then complete their entire life cycle.
Some bulbs prefer deep soil, while others grow best when planted directly on the surface. Most species, however, have needs that fall in-between these two alternatives.
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How Planting Depth Affects Bulbs
True bulbs and tubers—tulips, daffodils, and tuberous begonia, for example—have several ways to protect themselves from heat and drought. They generally like deeper planting locations than average.
Corms, rhizomes, and tuberous roots, such as Persian buttercups, freesia, and bearded iris, are planted shallowly so that they can develop new plants on their roots in the moisture of the upper soil zone.
Planting Depths of the Most Popular Bulbs
Recommended planting depths will be found for every common bulb in the bulb guide’s planting section [see: Bulbs].
For convenience, planting depth information for more than a dozen of the most popular bulbs is shown in the graphs that follow. Open the tab to the bulb you wish to plant for depth details.
Other Popular Bulbs
true bulbs pseudobulbs corms rhizomes tubers tuberous roots tropical bulbs planning for bulbs landscape bulbs bulb basics bulbs in planters bulbs in containers container bulbs bulbs in pots of bulbs container soil bulb soil needs soil for bulbs tulip crocus Persian buttercup ranunculus windflower anemone hyacinth daffodil narcissus freesia lily gladiolus bearded iris florist’s amaryllis hippeastrum dahlia tuberous begonia