You have your garden tools in hand, you're thinking about plant bulb in spring, and you're wondering if you are going to waste time and money doing so. No, you're not. You just need to consider these tips before embarking on spring bulb planting.

The main thing to know about bulbs is they need to go through a "winterized" period before planting.

The optimal time for planting bulbs is when the ground temperatures are still below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

The tricky part is when temperatures have already risen, or you expect the spring ground temperatures to rise above the 60 degrees soon.

What do you do then?

You fool the bulbs into "believing" they have gone through winter.

Place the bulbs in the refrigerator crisper for between six to twelve weeks.

Keep them in well-ventilated bags, and keep them away from other vegetables. Those vegetables give off gases that can abort the germination of the bulbs.

If you have a lot of bulbs to plant, consider getting an old refrigerator specifically for this task. Your family will not be pleased if the refrigerator is full to the brim with your bulbs!

After the six to twelve week period, follow these easy steps to get the bulbs into the ground.

1. Make the holes large enough so that the developing roots will have enough soft soil around them to spread and not be crowded.

2. Thoroughly soak the soil that surrounds the hole and scrape ridges in the sides of the hole that will give the roots some form of purchase to penetrate the harder soil.

3. Position the bulb so that it is the same depth down the hole as it was from the top edge of the container. Place loose soil underneath the bulb to raise it if the hole is too deep.

4. Fill the hole and make sure it is well watered either through your efforts or nature's efforts.

Your spring planted bulbs might bloom that same spring, if you planted them early enough.

If you planted them late in spring, you might have to wait till next year before you will enjoy their color and splendor.