Wait until the soil temps are 55 or above to plant summer blooming bulbs. You can get a head start by planting your bulbs early. I have started cannas in 6-inch pots a month before placing them outside. Plant them in groups in your flower beds knowing that some like glads and cannas you will have to dig up in the fall. Using a trowel or bulb planter, plant to the recommended depth and mix a little bone meal or bulb food into the bottom of the hole before setting the bulb.
Again, dahlias, caladium, glads, cannas need to be dug up each fall. This allows you to change up your flower theme each spring. Do not forget that some of these bulbous plants are terrific for containers like caladium and tuberous begonias.
- Alliums (flowering onion) range from a foot tall to over 4 feet. Good for the flowerbeds since the flowering foliage will cover the allium’s foliage dying back. You do not have to dig these bulbs.
- Lilies (oriental or trumpet) have low and tall varieties, blooming in later summer. Exotic in large plantings and leave in the ground. Oriental or Asiatic lilies have more of an outward flower than the trumpet lilies. Leave these in the ground.
- Tuberous begonias are great for shady containers. Blooms all summer long and can be taken inside and overwintered.
- Glads were considered old fashioned, however, modern varieties have brought them up to date. Coming in many colors and multicolors, smooth or ruffled, make a nice back border. Then can be easily overwintered.
- Calla lilies come in all colors and leaf colors which are deer and rabbit resistant. Shorter varieties make for a great container plant. Dig the rhizomes at the end of the season and bring inside.
- Canna lilies again com in many flower and leaf colors giving a tropical look. The old fashion red canna grows over 6 feet tall. Newer varieties range down to 18 inches. They are easy to overwinter indoors.
- Dahlia have a huge range of colors, shapes, and bloom textures. Varieties can reach 1 to 6 feet tall and spread 1 to 3 feet and are deer resistant. Overwinter indoors.
- Bulb iris (not to be confused with bearded iris) are planted by bulbs. These irises are also called iris reticulata and bloom before the bearded iris. I found them great for cut flowers and can be left in the ground.