The air is getting just a little cooler right about now and the leaves are turning. So for the green-thumbed among us that can only mean one thing:

Gardeners assemble! (Your kneepads, your trowels, your gloves and your bulb planters). It’s time to get ready for spring.

The end of September, when soil temperatures start to dip before the snow comes, is the right time for Westman region gardeners to plant bulbs.

Bulbs should be available at garden centres now or shortly, and Bernie Whetter from The Green Spot Home & Garden (greenspotbrandon.ca) suggests five bulbs to plant in the fall in the Westman region.

“Probably the most popular one is tulips. Then would come the crocuses. And then we’ve got daffodils or narcissus. And a lot of people’s favourite is the snowdrops,” Whetter said.

“They’re a little plant, but they come out with these little white drops just about as soon as the snow melts.”

He says that hyacinths are popular and so are allium, which are a type of ornamental onion.

The common recommendation for planting time is five to six weeks prior to freeze up, which allows adequate time for the bulbs to establish enough roots to survive the winter.

Timing is important, but so is location. While the five listed here are all sun-loving, Whetter said the allium and the hyacinth could handle a bit of shade. They do come up early in the spring before the trees have fully leafed-out.

“They can handle that first heat in the spring because the days are a little shorter and the heat’s not as intense,” he said.

“And generally, by the middle of June, these plants have pretty well done their thing.”

Bulbs are happiest in a light, loamy soil. None of them like wet soil or they will rot so it should be well drained. If the soil is too heavy with clay, adding manure or other organic amendments can help to loosen it up as well as feed the plants.

It’s lovely to plant bulbs along the border of the garden, where they will be visible as soon as spring hits, but resist the urge to plant them right up against the house foundation. Whetter explains that during the winter, heat from the foundation, combined with some warmer days can cause the bulbs to start sprouting.

“You don’t want that to happen prematurely because it will freeze and kill the plant,” he said.

“So it’s best to leave it at least two to three feet away from the foundation.”

The height of these plants can vary, so check the labels before you decide where you want them and how to stagger them when planting. You’ll also want to consider colours.

“Tulips, of course, come in all colours. The crocus is going to be the light mauves. Daffodils, obviously, are the yellows and the white. And the allium can be different shades of purple,” he said.

“When you plan, try to put them in groups — not a long line — but in clusters. I think it looks a lot more interesting that way.”

Once all the decisions have been made and the time is right, it’s time to “dig in.” Depth depends on the size of the bulb.

“The hole needs to be two to three times as deep as the height of the bulb. So if your bulb standing up is an inch and a half, then the depth of your hole needs to be three to four inches and not really any deeper than that,” Whetter said.

“And then a good practice is to put some bone meal in the bottom of the hole so that your bulb comes into contact with that.”

For spacing, large bulbs, which will produce larger plants, should be up to four inches apart, whereas smaller bulbs can be as close as two inches apart.

Whetter says there is one other absolutely critical factor: the up side needs to go up and the down side down.

“The pointy top goes up and the flat part goes down. If the pointy top and the flat bottom aren’t evident, or you are unsure, you could plant it sideways,” he said.

It is also possible to “stack” your bulbs as a bit of a time and work saver. For example, if you’re planting a tulip, place it in the hole first, put in some soil and then plant a crocus, which is smaller and needs less depth, right on top.

“They flower at different times, but they’re right on top of each other, so they’ll come up in a nice mixture,” Whetter said.

Once the bulb is right-side-up in the hole, it should be covered up to the same level as the surrounding soil (no mounding). Water it very well. A good layer of straw or other mulch on top will give it a little extra protection through the winter. To help protect the bulbs from squirrels and other foragers who dig, a layer of chicken wire over the top of the planted bulbs should discourage animal damage.

If you’re planting bulbs for the first time or maybe want to explore with some different varieties, greenhouse staff are a good resource for questions.

“Planting bulbs is a very simple process with a lot of favourable results, from the first snow thaw right until about the first or second week of June,” says Bernie Whetter.

“It’s a nice shot of colour early in the spring.”

» wendyjbking@gmail.com