Don't Bother Blooming Bulbs

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Bulbs are shooting up outside, anything you need to do?

Most bulbs pretty much take care of themselves. You can sprinkle bulb fertilizer or bone meal on the ground around them when the bulb leaves first emerge, but most bulbs really don't need it. If you top-dress your beds with compost during the year they'll get a lot of nutrients from that. But better than doing anything now, what your bulbs really need is for you to do nothing later; that is, after the flowers fade, don't take away the leaves until they turn brown.

As the bulb leaves slowly fade from green to yellow to brown in the weeks to come, you'll know that the bulbs are absorbing the energy they need to bloom next year. So, rather than bothering boosting your bulbs with additives right now, just remember to leave the leaves until they're brown to fertilize the flowers for the future. Because, like a lot of plants, bulbs do pretty well on their own, if you just stay out of their way.