How To Grow Bulbs
With just a little bit of bulb growing knowledge you can ensure these powerhouses of colour will produce a bounteous floral display.
First you need to take a look at your garden soil before you start planting your bulbs. Bulbs will rot if they are planted in soil which is too wet – bulbs can cope with damp, well-draining soil but not by being placed into soil which is constantly wet. If it has been raining heavily then wait a couple of days before planting bulbs – if the soil is still soggy after a couple of days then it’s probably not the best location for your bulbs!
You can improve your garden soil before bulb planting by using a hand trowel to loosen the soil where you are to plant your bulb. With clay soil you can improve drainage by adding garden compost or leaf mould, manure or composted bark to help break up the clay and improve soil quality.
How to grow bulbs
Size matters when it comes to planting bulbs and so the second factor to take into account is getting the planting depth correct for which bulbs you are planting.
The general rule of thumb for gardeners is that bulbs should be planted two to three times their depth. There are a few exceptions to this rule – some bulbs need to be planted closer to the surface of the soil - such as dahlias, that need to be placed just below the surface of the soil. Whilst other bulbs will thrive when planted deeper into the ground, with gladioli for example definitely needing to be planted three times their depth. So we would always recommend checking the planting depth of the bulbs you are planting by checking with the supplier - to help you get it right many bulb packets will indicate the planting depth.
Please don't think that your bulbs will flower sooner if you plant them closer to the soil surface. If bulbs aren’t planted deep enough they will be vulnerable to being seen as a yummy food source and could be eaten by squirrels! Bulbs which are planted too shallow will also reward you with lots of foliage rather than the colourful flowers you were wanting.
If you are new to bulb planting then you might be wondering if there is a right or wrong way to plant them - do they have a top and a bottom ? And if you plant them upside down will they grow down and never emerge as flowers in your garden ?
Most bulbs are teardrop shaped and this will help you to plant them right side up - which is the pointed end facing upwards. This is easy with tulip bulbs or daffodils which are this shape, but what about bulbs like gladioli which don't appear to have a pointed end? With these types of bulbs you can usually see where the roots will emerge from - and as roots go down into the ground then this would be the base of the bulb, going at the bottom of the planting hole.
However, planting bulbs shouldn't be stressful and you don't need to worry about bulbs which end up being planted on their side or even pointed end down! If you realise you've just spent hours planting bulbs upside down you don't need to dig them up and start again. Bulbs have a basal plate from which their roots will emerge and it doesn't matter at what angle this is as when the flower stem starts to grow from the opposite end of the bulb, even if it initially starts growing down into the soil it will quickly change direction and start to grow towards the surface of the soil.
I'm a little flower bulb, small and brown,
Buried in the cool, dark ground.
As the days grow warmer, watch and see,
I'll sprout through the earth -- Yippee!
When growing bulbs you could easily be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of different varieties of flower bulbs there are. So to make it easier for you, we have basically divided all the bulbs into categories based on when they will flower - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Take a look below and hopefully we will help you to choose the right bulbs for you and your garden and you can enjoy a riot of colour all year round.
Spring Bulbs
Spring Bulbs
Spring Bulbs
Depending on the variety by planting Spring flowering bulbs between September to November you can expect a burst of colour the following year.
Some of the popular types Spring bulbs are :
crocus, daffodils, fritillaria, hyacinths, muscari, narcissus, snowdrops, tulip, winter aconite etc.
Summer Bulbs
Spring Bulbs
Spring Bulbs
Typically planted in Spring, Summer Bulbs are the easy way to add a plethora of colour to your garden in the summer months.
There are lots of different Summer bulbs including :
acidanthera, agapanthus, alliums, alstroemeria, anemonies, begonias, calla lilies, cannas, crocosmia, dahlias, eucomis, freesias, gladioli, iris, lilies, nerines, peonies, polianthes etc.
Autumn Bulbs
Autumn Bulbs
Autumn Bulbs
For Autumn Bulbs to flower you should be planting them in your garden from late spring through to summer.
Add to the Autumn tones in your garden from this range of Autumn flowering bulbs that include :
alstroemerias, colchicum, crocus, croscosmia, cyclamen, dahlias, hesperantha, nerines, sternbergia etc.
Winter Bulbs
Autumn Bulbs
Autumn Bulbs
If you want Winter Flowering Bulbs in your garden start planting them from late spring to late summer.
There are lots of different bulbs which flower in the winter months including :
amaryllis, crocus, cyclmen, galanthus nivalis, hyacinths, paperwhites, snowdrops, tulips, winter aconite etc.
Not sure where to start? Get a mixed set of bulbs
When you are new to growing bulbs then it’s best to make use of as much expert advice as possible and one easy way of doing this is to order a mixture of bulbs which have been pre-selected by the supplier.
When you purchase a mixed bag of daffodils or tulips they have been chosen by the professional growers so that they work perfectly together and flower at the same time. With experience you can do this type of selecting yourself, but if you are new to bulb growing or simply want to make it easier then a mixed bag is the answer.
Here are just a few of these bulb collections which we have found for you:
Spring Bouquet Bulb Collection
Fashion Beauties Dahlia Collection
Fashion Beauties Dahlia Collection
This is a bold and colourful mix of extravagant and colourful low-growing tulips, narcissus and muscari.
Elevate your interior or outdoor space with this captivating and curated assortment featuring April to May-flowering blooms in two-tone blue and purple, golden yellow, and mauve-pink.
Fashion Beauties Dahlia Collection
Fashion Beauties Dahlia Collection
Fashion Beauties Dahlia Collection
Create a catwalk of colour this dahlia collection.
'Fashion Monger' - simple yet showy blooms, a stunning mix of pinkish red and creamy white. 'Seniors Darkness' - wows with near-black petals that transform to rich magenta. 'Temple of Beauty' - an abundance of large blooms in rich rose and creamy yellow,.
Summer Flowering Bulb Collection
Summer Flowering Bulb Collection
Summer Flowering Bulb Collection
Transform your garden with this brilliant collection of summer-flowering bulbs.
With 300 bulbs you can create a dazzling array of colours and shapes for five whole months of summer! Plus, they will naturalise easily and provide your garden with bigger and better displays each year!
Narcissus Miniature Mixed
Summer Flowering Bulb Collection
Summer Flowering Bulb Collection
Create a bright and cheerful spring display with this collection of miniature daffodils bulbs.
It includes a range of flower shapes in shades of sunny yellows that will be sure to brighten up pots, beds and borders and are perfect for under-planting shrubs, scattering through lawns and woodland areas.
White Garden Bulb Collection
White Garden Bulb Collection
White Garden Bulb Collection
Every season can make its own white garden and this collection is the earliest burst of white garden beauty.
Perfect for a shady corner, you will get a fabulous tulip 'White Valley' syn 'Exotic Emperor', plus the super-flowery Multiflora hyacinth, lightly scented ‘Toto’ narcissus and elegant and late white-frosted-soft-blue grape hyacinth.
Venetian Tulip Collection
White Garden Bulb Collection
White Garden Bulb Collection
One of the best ever tulip collections from Sarah Raven chosen to brighten up a Spring garden.
Flowering from April to May, this collection includes Tulip 'Couleur Cardinal', Tulip 'Havran' and Tulip 'Prinses Irene', with each variety in a separate bag, so you can decide where to plant each colour.
Empathy RHS Bulb Starter
Biologically active Bulb Starter with Rootgrow works with nature to bring out the best in bulbs, tubers and corms.
Simply sprinkled into the planting hole it will get bulbs off to a strong start and encourage a healthy, abundant show of flowers in spring and summer.
It contains mycorrhizal fungi to increase vigour.