It's just about that time again. As the light shifts from its summer brightness to the beginning of fall, leaves are starting to change and we have seen a significant shortness in our days, it can only mean one thing - bulb season is near! Our bulbs are all approaching their final phase before getting packed up and shipped out. For those of you who are local, keep a lookout for your bulb pickup notice in the mail which will provide you with all the information you need to know about picking up your bulbs!

For those of you who live in a "cool" climate, you can expect to receive your order in October - a perfect time to plant! Our crew begins planting our display gardens in October and usually continues through November. When planting around a million bulbs by hand to create color popping designs, it can take a bit of time!

If you find yourself in a "warm" zone, bulbs will be making their way to you in November. "Hot" zones can expect bulbs to arrive in December. To make things as simple as possible for our customers, bulbs shipping to warm and hot zones will be precooled prior to sending. Once the bulbs make their way to your home, we suggest planting as soon as possible upon arrival.

It's always a great idea to prep your garden prior to planting and receiving your bulbs. This will give you a little extra time in the (hopeful) sun and allow for you to have a shorter to-do list once those bulbs arrive. Here are a few things you can do to get started:

• Weed! It's always a great idea to clear out the unwanted weeds so you have a fresh bed to toss your bulbs into.


• Loosen your soil. This can be easily done by tilling or spading to a recommended depth of 10-12 inches. Your bulbs (and you) will appreciate the fluffy soil when planting. Feel free to add some bulb fertilizer. Bulbs do best when soil has a pH between 6-6.5. You can test your soil to find out what the exact pH currently is or talk to your local garden master and see what they recommend for your area.


• Make a plan. Decide where you'd like to place each bulb and what the desired effect is. If you're planting in smaller numbers, consider clusters (groupings of bulbs) for an eye-catching pop. A bulb planting guide will accompany your order with further tips and suggestions for planting.

Coming up...Festival of Family Farms.
A great way to experience and explore local farms within the Skagit Valley. Come visit us the weekend of October 1^st & 2^nd to explore the garden, visit the gift shop, plant a pot, grab some bulbs, share some refreshments, and have an all-around fabulous time!

Happy planting from all of us at RoozenGaarde & Tulips.com!