Cornell Bulb/Perennial Combos

Companion Perennials for:

How-to create a combo

How to create bulb/perennial combos:

It is very simple to create a bulb/perennial combination either in an existing perennial bed or when planting a new flowerbed. It is just a matter of digging holes and planting bulbs!

When planting bulbs around an existing perennial, it is important to try to avoid cutting off too many perennial roots. It may be more difficult to achieve ideal spacing and depth, but it is worth the effort.

Other Considerations:

Space- there needs to be enough room for bulbs to grow
Drainage- bulbs are less likely to perennialize in poorly drained areas (they don’t like “wet feet”)
Moisture- there should be plentiful moisture when bulb is growing/blooming
Nutrients- apply correct amount of bulb fertilizer
Planting time- the best time to plant spring-blooming bulbs in zone 5 is late summer/early fall. September is the ideal time.
Bulb quality- bulbs should be firm and free of mold when planted. Discard any soft, diseased, damaged, or moldy bulbs.
Planting Depth- follow the instructions from the catalog or tag on how deep to plant the bulbs. Avoid excessively shallow or excessively deep planting.