With a little forward planning you can enjoy bursts of colour from bulbs almost all year round.
The term ‘bulb’ often refers not only to true bulbs, e.g., daffodils and tulips, but also to tubers, corms and rhizomes. Common flowering tubers include anemones, begonia and cyclamen. Typical corms are those of the crocus, gladiolus, and taro and common examples of rhizomes include canna lilies, and bearded Iris.
When to plant bulbs?
When to plant a bulb depends on when they flower, but as a general rule…
- Spring flowering bulbs are planted in autumn
- Summer flowering bulbs are planted in spring
- Autumn & Winter bulbs are planted from late spring to summer
With regards to spring flowering bulbs, they are best planted between the cooler months of September and November, according to their different types – i.e. Narcissus, Crocus and Hyacinths should be planted from September, but to help tulips get a better start and alleviate risk of disease, leave planting them in until November.
There’s no set date that’s best for planting summer flowering bulbs , it is March/April time, but a general rule is once the soil has dried out and the risk of frost has passed. Alternatively, you can plant bulbs in containers from February but keep them indoors until the weather warms up.
Popular Spring Flowering Bulbs
Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinth, Ranunculus, Iris, Crocus
Popular Summer Flowering Bulbs
Allium, Lily, Begonia, Gladiolus, Freesia, Crocosmia, Dahlia
How do I store bulbs prior to planting?
Avoid rough handling of bulbs. Store bulbs at cool temperatures and low relative humidity to prevent disease problems, helping to prevent the build-up of bulb mites. Place the bulbs in a paper or mesh bag, or a cardboard box with holes or newspaper between the layers. You can also add slightly damp vermiculite or perlite to prevent them from drying out too much. It is also worthwhile investing in some Bulb Baskets as they are ideal for drying and storing your bulbs until you plant out or for storing them once you have dug them up at the end of the season, ready for next year – once the flowers have finished simply lift out of the ground and place out of sight in the shed or garage.
Should I soak summer bulbs in water before planting?
For some flower bulbs it is beneficial to soak before planting, but it isn’t always necessary, but some gardeners like to do it as it can help them grow faster and flower earlier. However some bulbs, for example, Anemone and ranunculus should be soaked before as this process swells the bulb and helps it start rooting faster once in the ground. Crocosmia can be soaked to help them ‘wake-up’ before planting.
Where to plant bulbs?
Even healthy bulbs can fail if they are planted in the wrong spot. To achieve an impact from your bulbs, they do best planted en masse. Choose a fairly sunny position, whether it is in a bed or border and most do grow well in pots too. When planting in pots, ensure the bulbs don’t touch each other or touch the sides, as this can encourage rotting.
You can also grow many types of bulb in lawns or areas of long grass. For a natural-looking spread of flowers, when planting in a lawn take a handful of bulbs and gently scatter them, then plant them where they have fallen. Don’t mow the area until 6 weeks after the flowers die if you want them to flower again the following year.
Do I need to plant in particular soil?
Free draining soil is best to help prevent the bulbs rotting. To improve the soil, you can dig in organic matter and if drainage is an issue, then a layer of grit or sharp sand below each bulb will help. You can also sprinkle a thin layer or bulb starter fertiliser on top of the grit/sand to help give the bulbs a boost.
When planting in a pot, ensure it has a drainage hole(s) and ideally use a bulb fibre compost (such as Taylors Bulb Peat Free Fibre), which will help ensure your bulbs remain strong and healthy and promotes vigorous growth.
How deep should I plant bulbs?
Information on how deep to plant your chosen type of bulb should appear on the packaging. However, as a general guide, you should plant most bulbs at two to three times their depth. For example, for a bulb measuring 5cm (2in) high, dig a hole 10-15cm (4-6in) deep and sit the bulb in the bottom of it. Place the bulbs in the hole with their ‘nose’, or shoot, facing upwards. If you’re not sure which way is up, plant the bulb on its side-its stem will find its own way up! Space them at least twice the bulb’s own width apart.
How do I protect my bulbs from pests?
The prospect of freshly planted bulbs for some animals is just too much to resist! Squirrels, mice and deer find certain bulbs delicious and a great food source. To try and protect your bulbs spread a layer of mulch over them or try some weighted down chicken wire over your planting area. Use a bulb planter to get your bulbs too deep for the squirrels to find.
You can also try interplanting – plant un-tasty bulbs, most rodents will avoid eating daffodils, snowdrops, fritillaries and allium. You can plant only these or try interplanting the unpalatable bulbs with the more vulnerable bulbs like tulips, crocus, and gladioli.
When should I water?
Water thoroughly straight after planting, this helps settle the soil around the bulb. This step isn’t essential if planting bulbs in autumn as the soil is already moist. Generally, you should water bulbs once a week during their active growing season in spring, start watering once you see shoots appearing and more regularly especially when they are flowering, but only if the soil is dry, as they prefer to dry out slightly between watering’s; during their dormant winter period, they require very little if any water and should only be watered if the soil becomes extremely dry. Water potted bulbs once or twice a week if the soil has dried out. Avoid overwatering as a bulb can rot if sat in water.
