I love this time of year, when the bulbs I planted for spring color start to make their way through the soil. To me, it signifies the start of a new gardening season, and a time when I can look forward to a fresh and bright color injection into my backyard after the dormant season.
But, although it’s too late to plant spring bulbs, you can still put on your best gardening gloves and plant bulbs for the summertime. Agapanthus, alliums and dahlias are among 7 bulbs to plant in March for the best summer blooms.
I find it much simpler to plant bulbs than sowing seeds, but even though there’s less to go wrong, it’s still possible to make some errors. Here are 7 bulb planting mistakes to avoid to ensure you can enjoy a colorful abundance of blooms.
1. Planting bulbs the wrong way up
It may seem like an impossible mistake to make, but when bulbs are particularly small, it can be difficult to see which way up they should be planted.
Bulbs should be planted with the pointy tip up, which will be smooth to the touch. The base of the bulb will feel rough, which is where the roots spring out.
Flowers grown from tubers or corms, such as dahlias, tend to be flatter than other bulbs and are harder to plant. However, if you place the tuber on its side, it will undoubtedly find its way upwards; otherwise, look for a bud on the tuber and position it towards the sky.
2. Planting at the wrong depth
You need to plant your bulbs at the correct depth, otherwise they will have a long journey to the surface and will likely rot before the first signs of growth emerge. However, if you plant your bulbs in soil that is too shallow, they are more likely to be affected by temperature changes and attract pests.
A common problem with daffodils is that shallow planting can be one cause of daffodil blindness, which results in leaves but no blooms.
What is the correct depth to plant bulbs?
Without getting a tape measure out, the best depth to plant bulbs is two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. Larger bulbs, like alliums and lilies will need to be planted deeper than smaller spring-flowering bulbs, such as snowdrops and crocuses.
3. Not preparing the soil
Just as you would prepare the soil before planting anything else in your yard, bulbs will benefit from some preparation to encourage good drainage and provide lots of nutrients.
It’s a good idea to work a couple of inches of compost into the soil before you plan your planting. This will give a good base for your bulbs, allowing water to drain without damaging the roots, and providing plenty of goodness to encourage strong growth.
If your soil is particularly poor at draining, adding some sand along with compost may help ease this issue.
4. Planting the bulbs too close
Apart from planting bulbs at the correct depth, they also need to be positioned without overcrowding. If they are packed in too tightly, there’s a chance that they will miss out on the nutrients they need. Instead of a backyard of big and beautiful blooms, you could be left with smaller, underwhelming flowers.
It’s best to check the bulb’s packaging to see what is recommended, but you’ll often find the larger the bulb, the more space they’ll need. Agapanthus bulbs are best planted 12 to 24 inches apart, while gladiolus can be spaced 6 to 8 inches apart.
5. Planting at the wrong time
Planting your bulbs either too early or too late can harm their performance. When planted too early, they can be more prone to rot, and they may shoot up and become damaged by the cold weather and frost. However, if you plant your bulbs too late, they don’t have sufficient time to develop a robust root system that allows them to absorb water and nutrients.
When planting summer bulbs aim for between May to June in zones 4-7 and late March to May in zones 8-10.
6. Planting unhealthy bulbs
Healthy bulbs will lead to greater success, so if selecting them yourself, choose the largest and hardest bulbs you can find.
Give them a light squeeze. They should feel hard, rather than soft. Soft bulbs have already started to decay, and those that show any signs of mold should be avoided completely.
7. Not giving your bulbs the correct light
Although you plant bulbs underground, you still need to take heed of where you plant them. Bulbs require different levels of light, with some preferring shade over sunlight.
If you have a shady spot, but want to brighten it with spring bulbs, try planting snowdrops and bluebells. Although we don’t all have woodlands in our backyard, this is where they thrive, under shady trees. On the other hand, daffodils will thrive in full sun and store energy in their bulb for next year.
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