Abouquet of fresh flowers would be lucky to survive longer than a week after being
delivered. A box of candies can disappear faster than you can say "holiday weight gain." And let's face it -- you don't know whether that sweater is the right size for the person you want to give it to.

So why not give a gift that won't quickly vanish or go unseen for years to come? If planted and cared for properly, flower bulbs can make great holiday presents.

What they are

In a nutshell, bulbs are flowering plants that can be placed into the ground at a certain time of the year and left alone. They will bloom at another time of the year, depending on climate conditions. Some gardeners say it is not necessary to posses a "green thumb" to grow bulbs, as the plants contain their own food storage systems.

There are two types of bulbs: spring-flowering, such as daffodils, tulips and irises; and summer-flowering, such as dahlias, begonias and anemones. Right now is the perfect time to seed spring-flowering bulbs.

"You can plant them from September through January," said Sally Scalera, a FLORIDA TODAY columnist and University of Florida horticulture extension agent for Brevard County. For summer-flowering bulbs, wait until late February to early March to plant them, she said.

Bulbs in Brevard

The only trouble with bulbs is finding the right ones to grow in Florida.

"We can't grow tulips," Scalera said. "It doesn't get cold enough to initiate the flowers."

There are bulbs that can grow in our warm, humid climate. Rockledge Gardens offers quite a few options.

"Amaryllises have a spectacular bloom," said Steve Krzyston, Rockledge Gardens manager. "Sometimes they can even bloom around Christmastime."

The amaryllis, Rockledge Gardens' most popular bulb, produces a voluptuous bloom, and usually comes in red, white, red and white combos or pink. Amaryllises are among the most expensive bulbs, costing $10 for the bulb alone and ranging from $13 to $29 for potted amaryllises.

"Amaryllises are the easiest to find," Scalera said. "The nice thing about those is that you can put them in the ground and leave them for a few years. They're nice and easy."

Other spring-blooming bulbs to plant now include Dutch irises, which produce bold shades of blue, purple and yellow blooms; and narcissuses, also called paperwhites.

"Paperwhites are pretty," Krzyston said. "They're white and yellow. Some look like daffodils."

Although they won't bloom during the winter, Krzyston said paperwhites are the perfect bulbs to remind people when winter is over. Paperwhite bulbs cost $1.29 apiece at Rockledge Gardens and irises cost 49 cents each.

How to plant them

While many people may chose to leave already-bloomed amaryllises in a pot to enjoy throughout the holiday season, the bulbs also can be planted now through January. The most important thing to do before planting bulbs, Scalera said, is to make sure they have the nutrients they'll need to survive the winter.

"Amend your soil by enriching it with organic matter, compost or manure," Scalera said.

It's also important to research the appropriate light for your bulbs to grow in.

"Some plants like the full sun; some like partial shade," Scalera said. "Amaryllis can be planted in either."

Dutch irises should be given full sun, and narcissuses can be planted in full shade to partial sun.

Rockledge Gardens suggests planting bulbs four to six inches deep into the soil, and using bone meal as fertilizer. Bone meal does not move as easily through the soil as other nutrients, so it should be placed close to the roots.

For best results, bulbs also should be planted as soon as possible after purchase. Otherwise, keep them in the refrigerator until they go in the ground.

Make them stand out

With the exception of last week's temperature peak into the 80s, it is a great time of the year to do some gardening, and spend a little extra time to make the yard look good.

The No. 1 rule for bulbs: The more, the merrier.

"If you have a big mass of them, it can make a big splash," Scalera said.

And for a yard that really stands out, there is one color that always works.

"Red," Scalera said. " 'Tis the season to find that color."

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