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Planting bulbs
Bulbs are ideal for anyone who rates themselves as keen but clueless because they are one of the easiest plants to grow. Provided you plant them at the right time of year at more or less the right depth, they will reward you year after year with a reliable display of blooms
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When should I plant?
The planting time for bulbs varies broadly according to their flowering time. Spring-flowering bulbs should be planted from early autumn, so they have time to produce new roots before the onset of winter. Tulips are the main exception to this rule because they can be planted in late autumn or even early winter without adversely affecting the flowering for the following season. Summer-flowering bulbs, such as Tigridia and gladioli, and autumn-flowering bulbs, such as colchicums and nerines, are best planted from late spring onwards (see table, below).
Bulb planting guide
Type of bulb |
planting time |
depth |
spacing |
Allium
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early autumn |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
15-30cm (6-12in) |
Anemone |
early autumn |
5cm (2in) |
10cm (4in) |
Arum |
mid-summer |
15cm (6in) |
10cm (4in) |
Begonia |
spring |
2.5cm (1in) |
22-30cm (9-12in) |
Chionodoxa |
early autumn |
2.5-5cm (1-2in) |
7cm (3in) |
Colchicum |
late spring |
7cm (3in) |
10-15cm (4-6in) |
Crocus, spring |
late summer |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
10cm (4in) |
Crocus, autumn |
mid-summer |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
10cm (4in) |
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Cyclamen |
late summer |
2.5cm (1in) |
15cm (6in) |
Eranthis |
late summer |
2.5-5cm (1-2in) |
10cm (4in) |
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Erythronium |
late summer |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
10cm (4in) |
Fritillaria |
early autumn |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
15-45cm (6-18in) |
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Galanthus |
late summer |
7-10cm (3-4in) |
10cm (4in) |
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Gladiolus |
mid-spring |
7-10cm (3-4in) |
10-15cm (4-6in) |
Hyacinthus |
early autumn |
10cm (4in) |
0cm (8in) |
Iris reticulata |
autumn |
7-10cm (3-4in) |
10cm (4in) |
Leucojum |
late summer |
7-10cm (3-4in) |
10-20cm (4-8in) |
Lilium |
mid-autumn |
10-15cm (4-5in) |
15-45cm (6-18in) |
Muscari |
late summer |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
10cm (4in) |
Narcissus |
late summer |
5-12cm (2-5in) |
10-20cm (4-8in) |
Nerine |
spring |
2.5cm (1in) |
15cm (6in) |
Ornathogalum |
mid-autumn |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
10-15cm (4-6in) |
Puschkinia |
early autumn |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
7cm (3in) |
Scilla |
late summer |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
5-10cm (2-4in) |
Sternbergia |
mid-summer 7cm (3in) |
12cm (5in) |
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Tigridia |
late spring |
5-7cm (2-3in) |
15cm (6in) |
Tulipa |
late autumn |
7-15cm (3-6in) |
10-20cm (4-8in |
Bulb Tips
All bulbs should be planted with the 'nose' (pointed bit where the shoot comes out) at the top and the 'basal plate' (flat bit where the roots are produced) at the bottom. The only exception to this rule is with crown imperials which are hollow and should be planted on their sides to prevent rotting. To achieve a natural-looking swathe of bulbs you will need to plant them in irregular blocks at variable planting distances. If you find this difficult, try scattering the bulbs and planting them exactly where they land. Where only a few bulbs are being planted, use a strong trowel or one of the special cylindrical bulb planters to make the hole. For larger swathes of bulbs use a spade to dig out a planting block to the correct depth, position the bulbs and then replace the excavated soil. It is often recommended to plant bulbs on a layer of sharp grit to aid drainage and help prevent rotting, but this is only of benefit on heavy soils and the value of this technique is not certain.
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Planting in lawns or under trees is very similar. When planting in lawns, carefully peel back the turf, then dig out the soil and plant the bulbs. Once the soil has been replaced and consolidated by treading lightly, you can replace the turf
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and fill any gaps with sieved garden soil.
Under trees, planting bulbs singly is the best option because large excavations will cause more damage to tree roots and may encourage suckering.
If you have had problems with rodents such as mice and squirrels digging up and eating your bulbs in the past, you might like to cover the planting block with a layer of chicken wired buried just below the surface.
Tip
Planting in cages
Avoid damaging bulbs that need lifting each year, by planting them in cages. This is a particularly useful technique for temporary displays of hardy bulbs or tender bulbs that will need lifting and storing somewhere frost free overwinter. Make simple wire cages out of chicken-wire and bury them out of sight so the bulbs are at their correct planting depth. Then, at the appropriate time, you can lift the cage complete with the bulbs.
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