"Planting Bulbs"
For the best results from your bulbs, you must buy from a reputable company. Buy from your local garden centre only if you're totally happy with their products. Don't go for the cheapest - but that doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive will be the best. Ask local growers which producer they use. Take their advice! Thompson & Morgan U.K. have an impressive selection in their online store if you're not sure where to go. Planting bulbs in autumn will bring colour to your winter garden. Winter to Spring flowering bulbs include daffodils,crocus,tulips, ( Find out more about growing tulips on this page...Growing Tulips ) and many others. Decide where to plant each bulb before you start. Crocuses are nearly always a fairly low growing plant - often no more than 6-8 inches (15-20cm) high, whereas daffodils will grow to more than 24 inches (60cm) high. There are so many hybrid varieties available, that you could possibly find a dwarf daffodil and a giant crocus - Planting bulbs needs a little planning!
Prepare the ground in late summer/early autumn.Dig over the soil to around 8 inches (20cm) deep and work it to a fairly fine consistency. Remove all weeds and add a little sand to help drainage if necessary.   Planting Bulbs:Bulbs can be planted from late summer to early winter - throughout autumn is best. As a general rule, a bulb should be planted three times it's length downwards! i.e. a 2 inch (5cm) long bulb should be planted around 6 inches (15cm) deep, a 3 inch (8cm) bulb, around 9 inches (24cm) deep, but always check any recommended planting instructions that came with your bulbs. If you are planning to plant other bedding plants around the flowering bulbs later in the year, remember to leave enough space. Always allow a little extra space so you don't damage the root system of your flowering bulbs, when you're digging around with a trowel. If you use a special planting tool for planting bulbs, make sure the earth is still loose at the bottom of the hole, otherwise water can collect and will rot the bulb before it gets going.Although all plants need water, bulbs, along with most other garden plants hate to have their feet wet, and the ground must be well-drained with no water-logged pockets. Place the bulb in your dug hole, cover with fine soil or mixture of compost and soil. Remember to add a little sand if the ground is very wet. Firm down a little and water in. Planting bulbs - After Care:Keep ground weed-free. DON'T use a hoe or trowel to remove weeds because you could damage the bulbs under the surface. This job must be done by hand....but it's not as bad as it sounds - there are far fewer weeds in the autumn and winter than there are in the spring and summer! After your bulbs have flowered, you can remove any dead heads - with a pair of secateurs or other pruning tool - but leave the foliage to die back on it's own. The dying leaves aren't very attractive in the spring garden, and some growers plait the leaves, or tie them in bunches. When the plant has totally died back, you can dig up your bulbs, and keep them in a dry place until ready for planting again the following autumn. The bulbs don't HAVE to be dug up, but most professional or highly skilled amateur growers believe they should be. There is a risk of the bulbs getting eaten by slugs and bugs etc; and by drying them out in the summer, they do get a better start the following year and will probably produce more blooms.You can keep your bulb supply for many years by digging them up every year. But again check on the manufacturer's recommendations before you do this. The bulbs will also reproduce and can be separated and re-planted again. I personally have never dug up daffodil bulbs as I've found they do very well in the climate and environment they're in. Again it's a good idea to ask local gardeners what they do. You'll probably get lots of conflicting advice!Experiment. Dig up half the bulbs and leave the other half to their fate. See what happens. Planting bulbs is definitely NOT limited to professional gardeners and park gardens. Follow the instructions on your packet of bulbs and get planting! Happy Gardening! More "Planting Bulbs" Reading
Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Flowers Page Back To Flower & Garden Tips Homepage Click Here To Subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/plantingbulbs.html |
