Do Your Bulbs Really Need To Be Perfectly Planted? Here's What Our Master Gardener Says

Whether you're planting a few dozen daffodils or 9 million tulips for the set of "Wicked," we can all agree that the task is cumbersome. These must-know bulb-planting tips from an expert gardener can set us up for success, but we still need to do the work of meticulously spacing out the bulbs before planting each one upright.

Galena Berkompas, who runs the @microflowerfarm account on Instagram, prefers a time-saving hack. Her video showed bulbs being haphazardly scattered into a trench and then covered with dirt. She wrote in her post, "Even if they end [up] upside down, they still find their way upright to the light. And it takes way less time." Although we appreciate time-saving hacks, we're not quite ready to abandon the time-tested method of planting bulbs with the point facing up and the roots facing down. 

"While it's true that the sprouts will eventually make sure their way to the soil's surface, a bulb that's planted sideways or upside down will use more energy to sprout than one planted correctly," explained House Digest's Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener Tiffany Selvey, in an exclusive interview with House Digest. "After a bloom fades, the leftover foliage stores energy in the bulb for the next year's blooms. By wasting that energy on excess growth, you're less likely to get a strong, healthy plant with a vigorous bloom."

In other words, planting bulbs upright gives you the best bang for your buck. But if you don't need sustainable blooms year after year and would prefer to save time, Selvey said that Berkompas' solution could be an option.

There are other ways to save time without sacrificing quality. Swap out the systematic rows and instead plant bulbs in clusters for a soft and natural look. Also, utilize planting tools that make gardening so much more convenient. For example, a short-handled tool like this Dewayna Stainless Steel Bulb Planter determines planting depth, while a long-handled option like the ProPlugger 5-in-1 Lawn and Garden Tool serves the same purpose and saves you from backache.

Another option is to attach an auger, like the MAXCCINO Auger Drill Bit for Planting, to a cordless drill to quickly and easily get bulbs into the ground. In Selvey's exclusive interview with House Digest, she said this solution is the best deal for her time and energy.

Selvey also addressed the importance of spacing, which matters less to Berkompas, who grows the bulbs as annuals rather than perennials. Berkompas added that gardeners who want to grow perennial bulbs should plant them 4 to 6 inches apart and leave some foliage when cutting the flowers — with which Selvey agreed.

"However, if you want to grow your bulbs as perennials, it's even more important to plant them pointy side up," Selvey clarified. "If you use this method for perennials, those bulbs will also divide upside down." Selvey added that people need to keep in mind that Berkompas is implementing this technique as the owner of a flower farm, so saving time with the "dump and cover method" makes sense for her — but not for home gardeners.