Bulbs – Sprouting

Q: We have some bulbs that are beginning to sprout. The foliage is two inches high. Is it too late to divide and replant them?

A: You can accomplish two things at once now: divide and fertilize. We have had a warm fall so it’s no surprise the bulbs are sprouting. As long as the foliage is small, the roots won’t have grown much, so dividing a clump won’t hurt anything. But the best thing you can do for bulbs is to fertilize in late fall. Remember the rule of thumb that plants should be fertilized when they are just beginning to grow vigorously. That time is now for spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. Any bulb fertilizer will do the trick.