Planting Bulbs for Spring Flowers

Autumn is here and that means it’s time to harvest pumpkins, savour warm soups and… plant bulbs!

Yes, autumn is the perfect time to start thinking about spring. Flowering bulbs will gift your garden with an explosion of colours and announce the arrival of longer, warmer days.

Amongst some of the most popular spring-flowering bulbs are daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and tulips and they should be planted from September to December at the latest. This is the time of the year in which the soil is still warm, perfect to encourage bulbs to root before they get dormant for the winter.

Bulbs can be planted pretty much anywhere in the garden. Containers, flower beds, and lawns, all provide a suitable environment for growing healthy flowering bulbs.

If you decide to plant your bulbs in a container, try to pack as many as you can in it. A container full of colourful flowers will make a beautiful point of interest in your garden. Sparingly planted containers on the other hand tend to look scant and miserable. So better to have one full container than a few half-empty ones.

If you’re feeling adventurous you could try making a bulb lasagne. That is a mix of different types of bulbs, layered on top of each other with soil. They are normally planted from the largest at the bottom to the smallest ones at the top. Planning a bulb lasagne properly means having a container that keeps flowering at different times, ensuring a long-lasting display of colours.

If you prefer a wilder, more natural look instead, consider planting your bulbs in your lawn. Scatter them around freely and plant them wherever they fall. You should carefully remove the piece of turf first and put it back on top of the bulb once you have planted it in the soil underneath. Daffodils and crocuses make a perfect mix, but tulips and all other bulbs will also make your lawn shine.

The most popular place for bulbs in a garden, however, is undoubtedly flower beds. No matter what plants or bushes you have in the beds around your garden, bulbs will surely bring a welcome burst of colour once the cold season is gone and announce warmer times ahead. Just like containers, make sure to tightly plant the bulbs in your flower beds for a more dramatic display.

Wherever you decide to plant your bulbs, however, you should keep in mind that squirrels love digging them out, especially out of containers and flower beds. Autumn is the season in which squirrels gather food for their winter stash and bulbs provide a luscious exotic meal. Secure your beds and containers with a metal or plastic net, like chicken wire, to stop the mischievous rodents from stealing your precious bulbs.

And last but not least, you should also make sure your bulbs are thoroughly watered just after you’ve planted them, especially if the soil is very dry.

If you need help planning springtime colours and flowers for your garden and pots, at e-gardens we offer professional advice, and we’ll also plant them for you. Give us a call today.