The world has become a very small place, and no where is that more evident than in the horticulture industry.

Although many people don’t realize or think about it, flowers are shipped all over the world in a matter of hours. The roses that you have in your vase might have come from South America, and many of the bedding plants in your garden originated as cuttings in other countries too.

For centuries, seeds, flowers, roots, etc., have been used worldwide in trade. Yet one of the most widely used is seldom thought about even though it has a long history in the marketplace.

This particular item’s export value has risen more than 76 percent in the past 10 years. Last year, $52 million of them entered the U.S., and Germany and Japan are this item’s next favorite destinations. Millions of dollars worth of them were sold around the globe last year.

Three and a half centuries ago, these items were weighed by the grain, like gold, and cost as much as $2,250 each – with maybe a horse, house or carriage thrown in to close a deal. At that time, its futures market was known as “the wind trade.” In 1637, the end of the mania for them nearly destroyed a nation’s economy, and its rapid decrease has been compared to the dot-com bubble and the subprime mortgage crisis of our era. Today, this items sells for an average of 50 to 75 cents. What is it?

Tulip bulbs have had a tremendous impact on history. Used much as spices were years ago, they have been bartered, traded and sold throughout the world for centuries.

Often called the magic flowers of spring, all spring flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, alliums, crocus, and hyacinths must be planted in the fall before deep frost makes the ground unworkable. The bulb then produces roots, and the spring flowers begin to form in winter. Planting time in our area is September through October or before the ground freezes and the air temperature cools enough so that they don’t begin to grow once they are planted mistaking it for spring.

Bulbs are happiest in soil that drains well, so prepare your beds in advance. When planting, think about the height of each variety and its flowering period. Stagger sizes and blooming periods so that your beds will always be showing color. Keep in mind however, that weather conditions and planting locations affect blooming dates.

A popular marketing slogan for bulbs encourages you to “Dig, drop, and done,” and it really can be that simple. After preparing your beds, simply dig a hole about two to three times as deep as your bulb is high, drop it in, cover it over, and you are done.

Cluster your bulbs in groups for a more dramatic display. Planting them singly works fine too, especially if you are using bulbs that will naturalize, such as daffodils. Naturalizing means that they will naturally spread and multiply in coming years, so you want to be sure to leave room for that. Some bulbs are marked for this purpose, but a mass of color makes the best display.

If you have deer problems in your yard, try anything in the narcissus family, which includes daffodils. Deer generally won’t touch them.

Like perennials, your bulbs should be dug up every few years and split, transplanted or replaced. After a long period of time, the colors of the flowers may change as the bulb gets old and warrants replacement. Many kinds of bulbs are available and new introductions come each year. Check out your local garden center for their newest varieties.

Bulbs can be wonderful fun for the gardener, especially if you have young children in your life. It’s a great time of the year to have kids digging in the garden because, since most things have died back from the summer, there isn’t much they can hurt at this point in the season. Let them be creative and go a little wild with combinations of colors and bulbs of their choice.

A garden is one of the few places something be buried in the dirt, forgotten, trampled over during the winter months, only to have a thing of beauty emerge six months later from a spot that seemed to be only soil and mulch. Plant your own “magic flowers of spring” this fall and sit back and wait for a riot of color next year!

Gail Vanik can be reached at Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery at 565-8274 or by email at [email protected], on Facebook at Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery, or on the web at www.fourseasonsgreenhouse.com.