When to plant
If you want to fill your garden with colour next spring, plant bulbs from October to December, before the first frost.
How to buy bulbs
Most bulbs have a long dormant period, requiring little attention for much of the year. When buying bulbs check they’re healthy and as fresh as possible, or your spring show could be a washout.
Avoid any that are damaged, shrivelled or feel soft, and go for plump, firm bulbs. Aim to plant within a week or they’ll start to sprout. When possible, check that the plants have been obtained from reliable growers, rather than from stock that has been collected from the wild.
Where to plant
Choose bulbs according to location and soil type. Most hardy bulbs originate from the Mediterranean, thriving in a warm, sunny climate in freely draining soil. Good drainage and plenty of sunshine is key, since most bulbs are prone to rot while dormant.
Herbaceous borders
Planting bulbs in a herbaceous border will help to fill in gaps and provide colour and interest before perennials and shrubs begin to grow in early spring. Plant daffodils, winter aconites, tulips and fritillarias for outstanding colour. Drifts of single species can be planted to blend in with the general planting scheme of the garden, or try mixing different varieties to create an even and striking effect of bright colour.
Formal planting
When planted en masse, spring-flowering bulbs make a valuable contribution to formal bedding displays. Try growing groups of early-flowering tulips in a bed which will be occupied by annuals later in the summer. As a general rule, the larger, showy varieties are better suited to a formal position in the garden.
Naturalising bulbs
Many spring-flowering bulbs are ideal for brightening up the base of trees before they come into full leaf. The soil beneath trees is moist and light, offering the perfect growing conditions for scillas, anemones, erythroniums and crocuses.
Bulbs such as dwarf daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops and winter aconites can transform a dull looking lawn into a wonderful display of colour. To achieve a natural look, throw bulbs up in the air and plant them exactly where they land in the grass. The aim is to make it look as though they have decided to grow there by themselves. Allow plants to die down after flowering before mowing over the lawn. Alternatively, plant bulbs in defined areas so that it’s possible to mow the lawn around them.
Bulbs in pots
If you want a great patio display, try growing bulbs in pots. Keep it simple by planting a variety on its own or several of the same variety packed closely together for a bumper show. Several types can be planted together, but it’s tricky to get the flowers to appear at the same time.
What to do
How to plant
- Bulbs are some of the easiest garden plants to grow, needing only a well-drained soil and some sunshine. As a general rule, plant bulbs two to three times their own depth and around two bulb widths apart.
- It’s important to plant bulbs with its top facing upwards. If unsure, plant the bulb on its side.
- Replace the soil after planting, breaking down any large clumps and firm in gently, making sure there are no air spaces around the bulbs.
Bulbs in lawns
- Naturalise bulbs in lawns by taking a handful and dropping from waist height.
- Plant where they land with a strong trowel or bulb planter – these are ideal for digging into heavy clay soil. To use, push the cylindrical blade down, twist and pull up a plug of soil.
- Drop the bulb in, flattest side down, and crumble the plug into the hole.
- In order to save time, try planting a large number of small bulbs by lifting a piece of turf and planting a group of bulbs in the soil.
Bulbs in pots
- When growing bulbs in a pot, pick a container that is the right size and will complement your chosen bulbs.
- If you are using a clay pot with a large drainage hole in the base, cover it with a piece of broken pot.
- Fill pots with general-purpose compost, mixed with a handful of horticultural grit to improve drainage.
- Water after planting.
Aftercare
- Bulbs in pots need more care than those in soil.
- Keep the compost moist and protect from frost by wrapping with bubble wrap over winter. Cover with a piece of chicken wire to prevent squirrels, mice and voles from digging them out. Remove it when shoots appear.
Five easy bulbs to try
Spring flowering bulbs are easy to grow and a most welcome sight after a long winter. With a little care at planting time, spring blooming bulbs will reward you with years of blooms. But which bulbs are best, which will the animals leave alone and which end is up, anyway?
Here are answers to frequently asked questions about planting, choosing and caring for spring flowering bulbs.
1. When’s the best time to plant my bulbs?
That really depends on where you live. Bulbs need several weeks in the ground to get their root systems growing before the ground freezes. However what you don’t really want is for the bulbs to sprout above ground, because this will deplete some of the energy stored in the bulb to get it through the winter. So gardeners in the coldest zones should plant their bulbs in late August and September. Gardeners in warmer zones should wait until the temperatures start to dip in September and can continue until early November. Bulbs planted in the warmest climates obviously aren’t going to get a chilling period, so these rules don’t apply.
2. Does it matter which end it up?
That’s a good question. Although the growing end will find its way up toward the warmth of the sun, it will have an easier time of it if it’s planted in the right direction to begin with. Bulbs with pointed ends make it easy for you: the pointed end is the stem and it should be planted upward. Round corms and long tubers are more difficult. There are usually dried roots still attached to these, telling you which end should be planted down. When in doubt, guess – and trust the plant.
3. Should i mulch my bulbs?
Mulch is almost always a good thing to do, it just depends on when you do it. In cold areas, we mulch to keep the soil cold. This is to prevent the soil from thawing too early and then refreezing, which makes bulbs and plants heave out of the ground. To prevent this, don’t mulch until after the soil freezes.
In warm climates we mulch to keep the ground cool. Gardeners in Zones 8 and above can go ahead and mulch after planting and watering.
4. Can bulbs be divided or transplanted?
They can be, but it’s not as easy as with regular plants. The best time to move bulbs is when the foliage is just about gone. The plant is no longer actively growing, the bulb is recharged and you can still see where they are. Take care when digging that you don’t damage the bulbs themselves. Remember that bulbs tend to pull themselves deeper than they were originally planted and spread out. So start digging a few inches away from the plants and wait until the bulbs are loosened – don’t pull on the leaves.
5. What if I live in an area that doesn’t freeze? Can I still have spring bulbs?
Of course. However you will either want to plant bulbs that don’t require a chilling period or pre-chill your bulbs in the refrigerator for the winter and plant them outdoors in the spring.
6. Why do my tulip bulbs only last one year? Aren’t they perennial?
All tulips aren’t created equal and you need to experiment to see which tulips are well suited to your area. The popular Dutch hybrids prefer cooler climates while tulips native to the Mediterranean and Asia are better suited to warmer climates. Southern gardeners swear by T. clusiana ‘Lady Jane’ . In the north, Darwin tulips are some of the most reliable returnees.
Also, most tulips don’t like wet soil during their summer dormancy. Planting them in an area of your garden that you don’t water frequently will help their survival.
7. Do I have to keep foliage around after it turns yellow?
The rule of thumb is to give them at least 8 weeks of growing, after the flowers fade. You can cut back the flower stem, but the fading foliage is necessary to feed the bulb for next year’s blooms. In fact, this is a good time to fertilize your bulbs, as they’re building up reserves.
If you haven’t hidden your bulbs among perennial plants that will fill in and camouflage the ugly foliage you can always interplant them with spring annuals like pansies, petunias and snapdragons. But don’t tie the leaves into little bundles, as was the fade a few years ago. It might look tidier, but the leaves can’t photosynthesize if they aren’t exposed to the sun.
8. Is there any way to keep squirrels and their relatives from eating my bulbs?
There’s no fail safe method, but there are a few tricks you can try. First, use a synthetic bulb fertilizer rather than bonemeal; bonemeal is just an invitation to the banquet.
Secondly, you can use a box or cover of hardware cloth or chicken wire as a barrier underground. They sell ready made bulbs cages, but you can also do this yourself. The easiest way to do this is to plant several bulbs in at once, in a wide hole, and cover them with the wire, before burying. Be sure to bend the wire down about an inch on each side, creating a cover over the bulbs.
Unfortunately, neither of these tricks will do you any good once the plants emerge. Deer & rodents will still be drawn to your tulips.
Fragrant Bulbs
- Lilies
- Hyacinth
- White Narcisis
Spring flowering Bulbs
- Daffodil
- Scilla
- Tulip
- Iris
- Chionodoxa
- Anemone
Summer flowering bulbs
- Allium
- Galtonia
- Lily
- Canna
- Gladioli
- Dahlia
Autumn flowering bulbs
- Colchicum
- Amaryllis
- Nerine
- Cyclamen Hederifolium
- Eucomis
- Sternbergia
Winter flowering bulbs
- Cyclamen Coum
- Winter aconite
- Snowdrop
- Hippeastrum
- Hyacinth
More tips
Spring flowering bulbs offer a reliable colourful display just when you need it most and they require very little effort. Choose bulbs suited to your area and many will improve year after year. The trick to growing large, healthy flowering bulbs is to prepare the soil well at planting. A rich, well draining soil with a balanced pH will feed the underground bulb and fuel the spring growth and flowers.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 30 – 60 Minutes per Dozen Bulbs
Here’s How:
- Choose healthy bulbs. Avoid bulbs that are dry and withered, spongy or moldy. In general, the larger the bulb for its type, the more flowers.
- Choose an appropriate location. Most flowering bulbs prefer full sun, but that can be almost anywhere in the spring, before the trees leaf out. So don’t overlook a spot that seems perfect, just because it’s a bit shady in the fall. Woodland bulbs (Anemone nemorosa (Woodland Anemone), Arisaema (Jack-in-the-Pulpit), Erythronium (Dog’s Tooth Violets), Galanthus (Snowdrops) and Trillium) prefer a bit of cool shade.
A well-drained soil will prevent the bulbs from rotting in cool weather.
In areas with cold winters, you can plant bulbs as long as the soil is soft enough to dig a hole. However they will have more time to begin growing roots if planted before mid-November.
In areas without a freezing winter, you may need to purchase pre-chilled bulbs, but you won’t have to plant your bulbs until early spring.
- Plant with the pointed side up. The pointed end is the stem. You may even be able to see some shrivelled roots on the flatter side. If you really can’t tell, don’t worry about it, plant it on its side.
- Plant bulbs to a depth of about 3 times their diameter. For Daffodils, that’s about 6 – 8 inches. Smaller bulbs can be planted to a depth of 3-4 inches and so on.
- Mix some bone meal or superphosphate into the soil at the bottom of the hole at planting time, to encourage strong root growth. You could mix in some water soluble fertilizer as well, but it’s not necessary if you’ve already amended your soil.
- If rodents tend to eat your bulbs, you can try sprinkling some red pepper in the planting hole. A more secure method is to plant your bulbs in a cage made of hardware cloth. The roots and stems grow through, but the rodents can’t get to the bulbs. Make it easy on yourself and make a cage large enough to plant at least a dozen bulbs. Or you can make it really easy on yourself and stick to daffodils, which rodents and most other animals avoid.
- Replace the soil on top of the bulbs. Water the bulbs after planting, to help them settle in and close any air pockets. Through the fall and winter, you only need to worry about watering your bulbs if you’re having a particularly dry season. Come spring, you should be well rewarded for all your efforts.
Extra Tips:
- For A Natural Effect: Bulbs look best in clumps or drifts. To get a natural looking effect, either dig a large area and plant several bulbs at once or simply toss the bulbs into the air and dig holes and plant where ever they fall. You’ll be surprised how well this works.
- Mark Your Plantings: To make sure you don’t disturb your bulbs by trying to plant something in the same spot, mark where and what you have planted.
- Spring Care: When your bulbs have finished flowering, cut back the flower stalks to ground level. It can get ugly, but let the foliage of your flowering bulbs dieback naturally. Resist the temptation to cut it back while still green, but floppy. The bulb needs this time to photosynthesize and make food reserves to produce next year’s flowers.
- To Divide Bulbs: Many bulbs spread and increase, making the original planting over crowded. If your bulbs are flowering as well as they used to, this is probably the case. If you wish to move or divide your flowering bulbs, the safest time is when they enter their dormant period. This is usually just after the foliage completely dies back. Dormancy is brief, even though nothing is happening above ground, so don’t put this task off .
|
The Bulb Gardening Year
|
|
Spring
|
|
• Replant pot-grown bulbs bought for an instant effect
|
|
• Plant snowdrops and snowflakes bought
|
|
• Check for any signs of grey mould and spray with a fungicide to reduce infection
|
|
• Stake tall bulbs
|
|
• In late spring, plant out tender bulbs like gladioli and begonias
|
|
• Deadhead flowers to concentrate energy into the bulbs
|
|
• In late spring, clear away yellowing foliage to eliminate the homes for slugs and snails
|
|
• Store container bulbs in a cool out of the way place
|
|
• Feed potted bulbs with liquid fertilizer
|
|
• Water indoor cyclamen as they get new leaves. Feed every two weeks
|
|
Summer
|
|
• Lift and divide overcrowded clumps as the leaves die down
|
|
• Collect dry seed in paper bags and store in a cool dry place
|
|
• Clear away dying foliage to tidy the border and avoid the spread of disease
|
|
• Rake over holes left in the soil by old bulb stems to lessen the chance of insects laying eggs in the tunnel. Mulch the whole area
|
|
• Plant out pot-grown summer and autumn-flowering bulbs to fill gaps in the border
|
|
• Re-pot winter and spring bulbs
|
|
• Tie gladioli and tall dahlias to stakes for support
|
|
• Buy new bulbs from your local garden centre or order from bulb catalogues
|
|
Autumn
|
|
• Plant commercial bulbs
|
|
• Prepare heavy or compacted soil for planting by digging deeply and adding grit. Sprinkle a general-purpose fertilizer into the planting hole, and plant the bulbs at the required depth
|
|
• Early autumn, plant containers with specially-prepared bulbs to flower in midwinter
|
|
• Mark the location of your bulbs with labels to avoid disturbance later
|
|
• Lift dahlias and gladioli and prepare for winter storage
|
|
Winter
|
|
• Clear away any old foliage that might impede fresh growth. Mulch the site
|
|
• Add a general purpose fertilizer to the surrounding soil
|
|
• Store bulbs in a box in a cool, frost free place and check regularly for disease
|
|
• Move groups of bulbs. Dig up the clump and place in the new position
|
|
• Sow commercial bulb seed
|
|
• If leaves show signs of disease lift the whole plant and dispose of it
|
|
• Bring forced bulbs into a cool place to flower
|
|
• Order late summer flowering bulbs
|