To celebrate the 1st birthday of Here We Are, we are surprising randomly selected email subscribers with gifts each week this October!

This week, as the leaves change color, we honor our gardening entries by saying goodbye to Smith & Hawken, but hello to expanding your world by Planting The Seeds of Friendship. Two lucky HWA readers will each receive a bag of tulip bulbs to brighten their gardens. Congrats and check out the following tips for easy bulb planting.

Quick Bulb Tips for Tip Top Flowers:

1. October is the month to plant the following bulbs: Alliums, Chionodoxa, Crocus, Dutch Iris, Eranthis, Fritillaria, Muscari, Snowdrops, and Tulips. 

2. Look for the pointed end; then plant that end facing up toward the sky.

3. Pick a sunny spot for best results with most bulbs.

4. Dig a hole 2 1/2 times deeper than the size of the bulb.

5. It's best to fertilize in spring and fall over the area where the bulbs are planted. Be careful if you add the fertilizer when planting because you risk burning the bulbs if they come into contact with the fertilizer.

6. Water the area, making sure there is proper drainage.

7. Cover the area with mothballs to keep the squirrels away, then mulch for the winter. You can also use cayenne pepper to repel critters, but to work it has to be continually applied after each rainfall.

8. Mark the area or sketch out a quick drawing to remember where they are planted. This is handy so you don't uproot the bulbs when adding new plants to your garden in the spring.

Does anyone else have a quick and easy tip to maximize bulb growth? Share it in our comments section. We love to hear from you -- tell us about your garden.