Top 5 deer-proof spring flowering bulbs
Spring flowering bulbs are a true eye-catcher in every garden. However, they often are an irresistible treat for deer and other animals. Those who live close to forests and nature reserves, are often not pleased to find deer invading the garden and eating all plants. Besides the visual aspect, it can be expensive. One solution would be fencing the garden. But many people do not like the sight of it or their property is just to big to be fenced in.
The solution: plant flowers that deer don’t like! Especially when is comes to spring flowering bulbs, this is important because the bulbs are a true deer magnet and one of their favourite dishes. We would like to show you the top deer-resistant spring flowering bulbs to keep your garden save.
- Daffodils: Most daffodils are fully deer proof because they are toxic. They bloom in the early spring along with tulips and shortly after the snow-lovers such as crocus and snowdrops. Daffodils are popular spring bulbs. They have a high ornamental value and are easy to care for. Once planted in the garden, daffodil bulbs will give you years of flowering pleasure.
- Iris: Plant the Irises in October, November or December, before frost. Depending on the varieties, plant your Irises in full sun or half shade. Plant Iris bulbs in dry, well-drained loosened soil with a planting depth of 2 to 3 inch. Keep a distance of 3 to 4 inch between the other flower bulbs.
- Hyacinths: There is hardly any bulb plant that releases such a recognisable fragrance as the hyacinth! Besides the wonderful scent, the flower is above all the colourful mood-setter in the spring garden and guarantees the real spring feeling. Those who like colour have a wide choice: There are pink, yellow, white, blue, purple and red varieties. A hyacinth flowers for a very long time, even up to three weeks depending on the location. And of course they are also deer-resistant.
- Alliums: Alliums retain their decorative value even after the flowering period, as you can dry the flowers and use them in a beautiful bouquet. If you plant alliums in autumn, you can enjoy them for many years as they are perennial flowers. Also Alliums mostly bloom later than other spring flowering bulbs. It is recommendable to mix flowers of different blooming periods so you can enjoy the bloom as long as possible.
- Fritillaria: Fritillaria comes from the Latin word fritillus, which means dice cup. Other names for this plant are Crown Imperial and upside down flower, which refer to the shape of the flower or their inflorescence. Fritillarias flower from mid to late spring and are perennial. Fritillarias are also an excellent remedy against, besides deer, moles in your garden. If you have moles or deer in the garden, simply plant a few fritillaries and the scent of the bulbs will repel most animals from your garden.
Spring flowering bulbs are planted in autumn. In this way they have enough time to build roots and prepare themselves for blooming in spring.
Getting started, it is important to prepare your soil in the correct way. Before planting, always loosen the soil in which the flower bulbs will be placed, so the soil is easier to work with. You can mix the garden soil with potting soil, this can improve the growth and flowering of the bulbs. After that you can start planting the bulbs with the tips up and the roots down.
Use twice the height of the bulb for the planting depth and three times the width of the bulb for the planting distance. Close the hole with soil and press it down a bit.
When planting the bulbs, be creative! Don’t just plant flower bulbs in straight lines, but make round shapes or a triangle. This gives a fuller and more natural effect and makes it a playful garden or balcony. When you have your deer-resistant bulbs, you can try to plant tulips in between. Because of the smell, deer and other animals are less likely to find and eat the tulips.
Water the bulbs immediately after planting. In this way they are encouraged to start rooting. Now you let nature do its work.
Best place to buy Spring Flowers is right from the source! QFB Gardening has experience as a flower bulb wholesaler since 1926. For many years they have been associated with Keukenhof Tulip Park where they also have two stores to advise customers with their spring flower order. Since then, QFB Gardening has specialized in selling and delivering the best quality bulbs in Europe, the United States and Canada.
If your not able to visit Keukenhof Park, not to worry! All of these spring flowering bulbs can be ordered to the USA directly from the Dutch growers on the American website QFBGardening.com, a daughter of QFB Gardening Netherlands.
Best to order them in summer time. This is the time when the fresh bulbs are harvested by the farmers straight out of the soil. They need to be peeled and prepared for shipping. Your order will be shipped to you in September/October. Arriving at our home right on time, so you can plant them in fall and enjoy them blooming next spring!
Pay attention: In case a plant is resistant to deer, it is often because it is poisonous. So keep an eye out with pets that like to dig and small children when you have planted deer-proof spring flower bulbs in your garden or pots.
