Have you planted flowering bulbs, in anticipation of a beautiful show, only to be disappointed with the results? There are several reasons why bulbs fail to emerge.

Handle bulbs with care at the time of planting to avoid damaging their surfaces. Bulbs are susceptible to several fungal diseases which can damage them to the point of no return. Discard bulbs with soft or mushy spots.

Bulbs can be frozen out. Late spring freezes can destroy emerging flowers of spring flowering bulbs. They can also destroy summer flowering bulbs planted too early. You can avoid most problems by planting bulbs at the correct depth. Refer to the package directions for bulb planting depths.

Location. Location. Location. Most bulbs thrive in sunny areas rather than shady spots. They all prefer a well-drained soil and won't do well in poorly-drained areas. Also, plant bulbs with the pointed end up. If you're not entirely sure which end is pointed, look for roots; the rooted end sits on the bottom of the hole. Be sure to use a fertilizer like for bulbs or Bone Meal at planting time to get bulbs off to a healthy start.

The bulbs may have disappeared after you planted them. Strange as this may sound, it can happen, thanks to visiting squirrels and several other rodents. This can be prevented by placing chicken wire type fencing over the planting in the fall, forcing the. animals to look elsewhere for food. Feeding the squirrels yourself with some other tempting morsels may help, but it's no guarantee.