A Helpful Guide To Planting Spring Flowering Bulbs

Early spring flowers will bring colour ahead of the perennials, trees and shrubs and will brighten up your garden ready for the longer, warmer and brighter days.  Bulbs are so versatile, budget friendly and they can be grown in pots, beds, borders and even hanging baskets.  If this is something you want to achieve then you’ll need to do a little bit of planning and get organised now.  

When Should I Plant My Spring Flowering Bulbs?

Most types of spring flowering bulbs should be planted in the Autumn months. Anytime between September and December is the perfect time so long as they are in the ground before it starts to freeze.  

Daffodils, Crocuses and Hyacinths are best to be planted before the end of September and Tulips can be left until a little later but should be planted before the end of November. 

Getting started now is a great way to get ahead and before you know it you’ll have beautiful blooms in the early part of next year.   

How Should My Bulbs Be Planted?

It is best to plant your bulbs soon after buying them, in their dry and dormant phase.  Storing them for a long time could lead to poor and late flowering.  

Tips For Planting in Containers:

• Use 3 parts compost to 1 part grit
• Plant bulbs at 3 times their depth and 1 bulb width apart
• Water bulbs once after planting and then once in active growth on a regular basis.  Watering can be reduced once the leaves start to die off.
• Don’t allow them to dry out completely over winter.
• Feed the bulbs every 7-10 days with a high potassium liquid feed as soon as shoots start to appear, this will promote good flowering.  You can stop feeding once the foliage starts to diminish.  

Tips For planting In Borders:

• Plant in groups of at least 6 for the best display
• Plant bulbs 2-3 times their own depth.
• Place the bulbs nose up (shoot facing upwards)
• Space them at least twice the bulbs' own width apart.
• Cover with soil and gently press it with the back of a rake.
• If the ground is already moist then watering is unnecessary.  If the ground is dry then water straight away.

What If My Garden Is Quite Shady?

If your garden doesn’t get as much sun as you would like, you can still make the most of spring flowering bulbs.  Snowdrops do well in the shade and crocuses will flower in part shade as will narcissi.  You can still plant the bulbs in areas of the garden that are shady at certain times of the day.  Check the guidance on the packaging before you start planting just to make sure of the best spot to place them.

How Do I Achieve A Natural Look?

Bulbs look great when they are planted in large groups or drifts and have a natural appearance.  You can achieve this by digging out a large area and arranging lots of bulbs at once.  Try mixing up different varieties and throwing them in the air and digging holes for each bulb wherever they land. Odd numbers can often give a more natural look and you should avoid planting in formal rows unless that is what you are aiming for.  If you are planting in pots or containers, you can still achieve a similar effect but on a smaller scale by grouping a few pots together.  Planting between 25 - 50 bulbs should be the right amount to produce an impressive display of bloomage.  

Now you know what to do with your spring flowering bulbs, you’ll need to go ahead and buy some.  We stock a wonderful range of bulbs that will produce an array of delightful spring colours. You can shop the entire range here at Lawsons.

Sources: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/bulbs/planting
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-plant-spring-flowering-bulbs-1402243