The bulb will find the sun and bloom normally with only a little extra effort. There are a number of tools made for planting bulbs. Bulb planters, trowels and auger attachments for electric drills are available to assist the gardener in bulb planting. For a mass plantings of bulbs in an area, remove the soil to the proper depth with a shovel. Place the bulbs in the desired arrangement or pattern and then carefully backfill with soil.
Bone meal is often slower acting and more expensive than the others.
These fertilizers are more important for the development of next year's bulb than they are for the upcoming flowers of this year's bulb. After planting be sure to water the area thoroughly to provide plenty of moisture for root growth. The addition of a light blanket of mulch on top of the soil will moderate soil temperatures. This will allow the bulbs a little more time for root growth before the ground freezes. The mulch layer will also conserve moisture in the soil the following summer.