Once you’ve chosen what type of bulbs you want to plant and where to plant them. It is also important to think about how you can give your bulbs the very best start in life. Whether that’s using the best compost or choosing the right tool, we have lots of tips and advice to share with you. Additionally, we will share a selection of our favourite bulb planting tools to make uniform planting both quick and easy.
Compost
For planting in containers, we recommend Westland Bulb Potting & Planting Mix. This specialist compost is the perfect environment for root growth. If you have decided to concentrate on your beds and borders and have heavier soil, we suggest mixing in some Horticultural Sand. This will break up the hard soil, aiding the establishment of the bulbs. Furthermore, you can mix Horticultural sand with compost to produce a looser structure, preventing root damage to delicate shoots and bulbs.
Our favourite bulb planting tools
First, start by using a Hand Fork to cultivate as well as de-weed to prepare the surface soil. Once you have prepared the area to plant and have decided where each plant is going, it’s time to get digging. And using the right tool for the job can make bulb planting a breeze. It’s very important to plant bulbs at the right depth to ensure you get to witness their beautiful display. If bulbs are planted too deeply, you may only get foliage and may not even emerge at all. Although we recommend that a bulb planted overly deep is better than too shallow, it’s always best to think about the general rule of thumb. We therefore recommend you plant a bulb at approximately three times its depth (though there are some exceptions).
There are several bulb planting tools available, and we have selected the best one for each type of bulb below. Once you have made uniform planting holes and placed the bulbs in the soil, you can then backfill the holes using a trowel.
We have listed some examples of common bulbs with their planting advice below:
Bulbs
Alliums
When to Plant: September to October
Planting Depth: 3 times their depth or 30cm
Soil Type: Well-drained
Preferred Position: Full sun and sheltered
Planting Tool: Hand Bulb Planter or a Long Handled Bulb Planter if planting a large amount of bulbs
Crocus
When to Plant: September to November for Spring flowering. Or July to August for Autumn flowering
Planting Depth: 3 times their depth or 10cm
Soil Type: Well-drained and gritty
Preferred Position: Full sun
Planting Tool: Small Bulbs Planter
Daffodils
When to Plant: September to November
Planting Depth: 3 times their depth or 15cm
Soil Type: Well-drained and moist
Preferred Position: Sun or light shade
Planting Tool: Hand Bulb Planter or a Long Handled Bulb Planter if planting a large amount of bulbs
Hyacinths
When to Plant: September to October
Planting Depth: twice their depth or 10cm
Soil Type: Well-drained and moist
Preferred Position: Full Sun
Planting Tool:Â Hand Bulb Planter or a Long Handled Bulb Planter if planting a large amount of bulbs
Tulips
When to Plant: November and December
Planting Depth: 3 times their depth or 20cm
Soil Type: Well-drained
Preferred Position: Full Sun
Planting Tool:Hand Bulb Planter or a Long Handled Bulb Planter if planting a large amount of bulbs
Snowdrops
When to Plant: September to November
Planting Depth: 3 times their depth or 10cm
Soil Type: Well-drained and moist
Preferred Position: Slight Shade
Planting Tool: Small Bulbs Planter
