Website review
This review may include AI-generated content and is not individually verified. Domain, certificate and other facts come from the observed data on this page.
What is Easy To Grow Bulbs?
Easy To Grow Bulbs is an online garden retailer specialising in flower bulbs, corms, roots and potted perennials for home gardeners. The site is organised around planting seasons rather than a single catalogue: fall-shipping bulbs, spring-planted favourites available for pre-order, and indoor bulbs and gifts for forcing blooms inside. It also offers a ZIP-code planting-zone finder, a published shipping schedule and a grow guarantee, which suggests it is aimed at gardeners who want guidance on what to plant when, not just a checkout page.
What you can buy
- Fall bulbs — tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, scilla and fritillaria appear among the discounted lines.
- Spring-planted and pre-order items — gladiolus, ixia, tuberose and ranunculus, ordered ahead of the season.
- Potted plants and starter trees — hosta, bay laurel, bearded iris and fig, sold as ready-to-plant pots.
- Indoor bulbs and gifts — positioned for forcing flowers inside, such as paperwhites.
Who it suits
| Gardener | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Beginner planting a first bulb bed | Planting-zone lookup and seasonal shipping guidance reduce guesswork |
| Experienced grower buying in quantity | Mixes and multi-packs, plus a rotating deals section |
| Gift-giver or indoor grower | Indoor bulbs and potted plants ship as living gifts |
| Bargain hunter | A dedicated buy-one-get-one collection and clearance-style discounts |
Practical considerations
Bulbs are seasonal, so availability and dispatch depend on the shipping schedule rather than immediate delivery. Pre-order items are paid for ahead of the planting window, which is normal for this category but means planning months in advance. Discounted collections can be excellent value, yet mixed packs give you less control over exact varieties and colours than single-variety listings — worth checking if you have a specific colour scheme in mind.
A useful next step: enter your ZIP code in the site's zone finder, then filter to the season you are actually planting. If you garden in a cold zone, compare the fall bulbs listed for your zone against a specialist such as John Scheepers before committing to a large order.
How do I choose the right flower bulbs for my USDA hardiness zone?
Start with your USDA hardiness zone, then match it to the bulb's planting season and cold tolerance. Easy To Grow Bulbs builds its catalog around that split: fall-planted bulbs (tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, alliums) need winter chill, while spring-planted bulbs (gladiolus, ranunculus, tuberose, ixia) go in after the last frost. The site's "Find My Zone" tool lets you search by ZIP code, and its shipping schedule and "100% Grow Guarantee" pages are the two supporting details worth reading before you order.
A practical way to decide
- Look up your zone by ZIP code — the site's zone finder is the fastest route, or use your own extension service map.
- Read the product page for planting time and hardiness. A bulb listed as hardy in your zone can stay in the ground year-round; one that isn't becomes a lift-and-store or treat-as-annual plant.
- Check the pack size and whether you're buying dormant bulbs, bare roots, or potted plants. Potted perennials and starter trees planted at the right time skip some of the risk that bare bulbs carry.
- Order early for spring-planted items. The site flags spring pre-orders, and popular mixes sell through before planting weather arrives.
Zone-by-zone trade-offs
| Your situation | What works well | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Cold winters, zones 3–7 | Fall bulbs: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, fritillaria, alliums | Plant before the ground freezes; mulch after the first hard frost |
| Mild winters, zones 8–10 | Spring-planted gladiolus, ixia, ranunculus; many daffodils still perform | Tulips and hyacinths often need pre-chilling in the fridge |
| Warm, frost-free zones 10–11 | Tropicals like tuberose; potted plants you can move | Most traditional fall bulbs won't get the chill they need |
| Containers or small patios | Indoor bulbs and gifts, potted perennials | Pots freeze and thaw faster than garden soil, so insulate or move them |
Where the deals fit in
The sale collections are useful for trying a genus cheaply before committing garden space to it. A discounted mix of hosta roots or peony roots is a low-risk way to test whether a spot has the right light and drainage. Just remember that a bargain on a plant outside your zone is still a plant outside your zone.
For broader regional guidance, your state extension service is the most reliable free source; Gardening Know How and RHS also publish zone and planting-time references, though the RHS uses UK hardiness ratings rather than USDA zones.
Next step: enter your ZIP in the zone finder, then filter the fall or spring collection by the plants you actually have room for — sun, drainage, and how much lifting you're willing to do each season.
What does the 100% Grow Guarantee cover and how do I make a claim?
The 100% Grow Guarantee is Easy To Grow Bulbs' promise that the bulbs and plants you buy from them will grow. It's a store-backed guarantee rather than a plant-insurance policy, so the exact terms—time limits, what counts as a failure, and whether you need the original order number—are set by the retailer and can change.
Easy To Grow Bulbs links the guarantee from its homepage with a "Learn More" path, but the homepage excerpt doesn't spell out the claim steps. To get the authoritative answer, open the guarantee page itself (or the footer/help section) and look for how to contact customer service, what proof of purchase they want, and any deadlines.
What a guarantee like this typically covers
- Failure to sprout or emerge within the expected window for that bulb type.
- Arrival in poor condition—rotted, moldy, dried out, or damaged in transit.
- Mislabeled or wrong variety compared with what you ordered.
What it usually doesn't cover
- Loss from planting too early or too late, or planting in the wrong hardiness zone.
- Damage from pests, disease, extreme weather, or animals digging bulbs up.
- Problems caused by over- or under-watering, poor drainage, or storing bulbs incorrectly before planting.
- Plants that grew but simply didn't bloom in the first season, which is normal for some perennials.
Practical scenario
Say you ordered tulip and hyacinth bulbs, planted them in fall at the recommended depth, and only a fraction came up the following spring. Before contacting the store, gather your order number, a photo of the planting area, and a rough count of how many emerged versus how many you planted. That evidence makes a claim much easier to process than a general complaint.
How to make a claim
- Find the guarantee page and read the stated conditions and deadline.
- Contact customer service through the method the site specifies (email or a contact form), including your order number.
- Attach photos of the failed plants or bulbs and describe your planting conditions—zone, soil, watering, and timing.
- Ask specifically whether they offer a replacement, a credit, or a refund, since policies often prioritize one option.
Next step: check the guarantee page for the current claim window, then email customer service with your order number and photos before the deadline passes. If you're unsure whether your zone or planting timing is the issue, use the site's zone finder first—it may explain the failure and save you a claim.
When should I plant fall bulbs versus spring bulbs for my climate?
Plant fall bulbs when you want flowers the following spring, and plant spring bulbs after the last frost when you want flowers that same summer. The dividing line is whether the bulb needs a cold dormant period to trigger blooming.
Fall-planted bulbs (plant in autumn, bloom in spring): tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, alliums, fritillaria. These need weeks of cold soil to root and set flowers. Plant them when soil temperatures drop to roughly 55°F/13°C at planting depth — usually after your first light frost but before the ground freezes hard. In warm-winter climates (USDA zones 8–10), many of these need pre-chilling in a refrigerator for 6–10 weeks before planting, or you grow them as annuals.
Spring-planted bulbs (plant after frost, bloom in summer/fall): gladiolus, ranunculus, dahlias, lilies, ixia, tuberose. These are frost-tender and rot in cold, wet soil. Wait until the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed. In short-season climates, start them indoors a few weeks early to extend the bloom window.
A quick comparison:
| Fall bulbs | Spring bulbs | |
|---|---|---|
| Planting window | Autumn, before ground freezes | After last frost, soil warmed |
| Cold requirement | Yes — needed for bloom | No — damaged by cold |
| Typical bloom | Following spring | Same summer/fall |
| Warm-climate catch | Pre-chill in fridge | Well suited |
Your hardiness zone is the practical starting point. Easy To Grow Bulbs includes a zone finder on its homepage that lets you search by ZIP code, alongside a shipping schedule and a grow guarantee, which is useful for timing orders to your region rather than guessing. You can check it at Easy To Grow Bulbs.
Next step: look up your zone, then work backward from your average first-frost date for fall planting, or your last-frost date for spring planting. If you garden in a mild zone and want tulips or hyacinths, plan the refrigerator chilling now — that decision matters more than the exact planting day.
Are potted perennials or bare bulbs better for my garden setup?
It depends less on which is "better" and more on how much patience and risk you want to take on. Bare bulbs are cheaper per plant and give you more choice of varieties, but they need correct planting depth, good drainage and a wait until their season. Potted perennials arrive already rooted and growing, so they establish faster and are easier to slot into a border or container, though you pay more for that head start and have a narrower selection.
Easy To Grow Bulbs sells both, so the choice is really about your setup rather than availability.
Quick comparison
| Factor | Bare bulbs | Potted perennials |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Usually lower per plant | Higher, since you pay for soil, pot and growth time |
| Time to visible result | Weeks to months, seasonal | Often same season, sometimes immediately |
| Planting effort | More precise: depth, spacing, orientation | Simple: dig a hole the size of the root ball |
| Failure risk | Higher if soil is wet or drainage is poor | Lower, because roots are already established |
| Best for | Large drifts, budget planting, planning ahead | Small gardens, containers, gaps you want filled now |
How to decide
- Choose bare bulbs if you are planting in bulk, have well-drained soil, and can wait for the right season. They suit anyone filling a bed with tulips, daffodils, hyacinths or alliums.
- Choose potted perennials if you want faster establishment, are planting into containers or heavy clay, or are filling a gap before guests arrive. They also suit renters who may move and want plants they can lift and take along.
- Mix the two if you want early impact plus long-term value: potted plants for structure now, bulbs for seasonal colour later.
Easy To Grow Bulbs promotes a 100% grow guarantee and more than 20 years of experience, which matters most for beginners nervous about bulb failure. Its site also includes a hardiness zone finder and a shipping schedule, both useful for checking whether a plant suits your climate and when it will arrive.
A practical first step: check your USDA hardiness zone, then note whether your soil drains freely. If it stays soggy in winter, start with potted perennials or plant bulbs in raised beds or containers rather than risking rot.
How do I care for indoor bulbs and gift plants after they bloom?
Indoor bulbs and gift plants are usually sold in active growth or early bloom, so the main job after flowering is keeping the leaves alive long enough to feed the bulb for next season. The flowers are the short part; the foliage is the investment.
Easy To Grow Bulbs groups indoor bulbs and gifts together in its "Bloom the Room!" section, and its broader catalog covers both bulbs and potted perennials, so the same after-bloom logic applies whether you bought a potted narcissus, hyacinth or a gift plant.
Right after the flowers fade
- Deadhead only the spent blooms, not the leaves or the stem, unless the stem itself turns brown.
- Keep watering as you did while it was blooming. Most indoor bulbs fail after bloom because watering stops too soon.
- Move it to the brightest spot you have — a south or west window is ideal. More light now means a bigger bulb later.
- Keep it cool if possible. A spot around 60–65°F slows leggy growth; hot, dry rooms shorten the leaf life.
The awkward middle stage
This is the part most people skip. Leaves look untidy for four to eight weeks while they photosynthesize and send energy back into the bulb. Treat it as a houseplant, not a dying gift:
- Water when the top inch of soil dries.
- Feed lightly every two to three weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer until the leaves yellow on their own.
- Do not braid, tie or cut green leaves to tidy them.
Once the leaves yellow and dry
Stop watering and let the foliage die back completely. Then choose a path:
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Potted perennial (hosta, peony, iris, bay laurel) | Repot into a larger container or plant outside in a suitable season; keep it in a sheltered spot until established |
| Hardy spring bulbs (tulip, daffodil, hyacinth) | Let them go dormant, then plant outside in fall for blooms in a later year |
| Tender or forced bulbs (paperwhite, amaryllis) | Amaryllis can be rested and re-bloomed; many forced paperwhites are best composted and replaced |
| Unsure of the plant | Check the plant tag or your hardiness zone before committing it to the garden |
A realistic reader scenario
Say you were given a pot of paperwhite narcissus in December. It blooms for about two weeks, then flops. Instead of binning it, you keep it in a cool, bright window, water normally and let the strap leaves grow for another month. When they yellow, you stop watering, let the pot dry, and either plant the bulbs outside after your last frost or accept that forced paperwhites rarely repeat well indoors. Either way, you got the bloom and lost nothing by trying.
Your next step
Find your growing zone before you decide where a finished plant goes. Easy To Grow Bulbs has a "Find My Zone" tool on its homepage that looks up your hardiness zone by ZIP code, which tells you whether a dormant bulb or potted perennial can survive winter outdoors where you live.
User reviews (0)