Bulbs

Bulbs are hardy, and generally simple to plant and care for. No need to thin or prune, and they ask little of the gardener, tending to grow 'come what may'. However to get the best results its wise to follow these basic rules:

• Ensure the bulb which takes your eye is right for your garden, don't plant very tall varieties at the front of your border obscuring other plants.
• Soil which is waterlogged throughout the winter should be avoided. Free draining soil is preferable - dig in advance adding grit or rough sand. A sprinkling of bone meal would be appreciated.
• Plant at the correct time of year for the species you are choosing.
• Ensure you dig a hole to the correct depth for your bulbs, which can vary from 1/2" (1cm) up to 10"(25cm). As a guide the hole depth is usually approx twice the diameter of the bulb, but planting slight deeper is ok in sandy soil, or shallower in clay or heavy soil.
• Plant your bulbs as soon as possible after purchase, although Crocus, Tulip, Hyacinth and Daffodil can be stored for a time in cool place.
• Mark the spot where you have planted them as that apparently bare patch of earth hides your next glorious display!
• Make sure you plant the bulb the right way up. It may sound obvious but mistakes are made. Give it a slight twist and replace the soil. You will only need to water if conditions are dry.
• Feeding of bulbs has no hard and fast rules. If your soil is reasonably fertile then none may be required. If you do choose to fertilize, use a slow release type such as bone meal. Well prepared ground, with bonemeal if needed is more important.
• If your bulbs are in containers they must have adequate drainage, and feeding will be needed as the nutrients in containers is soon spent.
• Watering - your spring bulbs need no attention until after they have flowered so water then to keep the leaves alive and growing for as long as possible. Summer and Autumn flowering bulbs must be watered well in dry conditions, ensuring they have a good soaking right down to the roots, not a quick splash from the watering can. Soil that is moist but not waterlogged is your maxim.
• Staking. It may not be pretty to look at but staking is essential for tall growing varieties. Read the labels, and always stake before the stems start to bend.
• When your flowering display is finished you must remove the dead flowers, unless you have a acre of bulbs!. Only remove the flowers, leave the stalks and leaves, and resist tying the leaves up with string to 'tidy them'. The leaves produce the food for the following years growth, and messy though they may look, should not be removed until they have died off and are brown or yellow. Yes they are unsightly but hopefully you have other plants which take over from the spent display, but if it is essential, you can dig up the bulbs and heel them in out of sight elsewhere, to enable planting of others to display for the coming season.
• Many bulbs can be left in the garden through the winter with no problems but always read the instructions for the variety you are planting. Others are tender and even half hardy - such as begonias, which need to be lifted and stored. Some bulbs are tender so benefit from having a winter coat about 3" thick of straw or leaf mould etc. Whatever you use, it must allow water penetration. Remove when frosts have passed.