If the garden is in need of a splash of colour in spring then October through until end November is the ideal time to plant spring flowering bulbs however it is a good idea to get on with planting the early flowering bulbs such as crocus, snowdrops and even daffodils. It is best to plant these bulbs in the next few weeks and certainly aim to have them planted by end of October. Tulips can be planted up until the end of November.

It is a good idea to prepare the planting areas well and plant your bulbs as soon as you have got them from the garden centre, leaving too long can affect the flower in the spring. Tulips and Daffodils do like nice warm sunny spots if possible and don’t plant in wet soggy areas of the garden as this will affect the performance of the bulb. It is beneficial to add a planting compost or humus to the pit and best to avoid manure coming in direct contact with bulbs. Dig and prepare the planting hole 150-200mm deep and plant the bulbs 100-150mm deep in the hole or pit and best to plant around 6-8 bulbs to a pit with the tip of the bulb pointing upwards and the space of a bulb between each bulb. A good measure for the size of the pit is to dig out in square spade widths and placing the 6-8 bulbs within the pit, cover with compost/soil and firm gently, do not over compact the surface as this can damage the bulb and restrict the growth in spring and ability to produce a good flower. There is a bulb planting auger tool available for individual bulbs. It is a good idea to plant bulbs relatively close together for effect but also this prevents them falling over and becoming unsightly especially in windy conditions. Crocus and Snowdrops are good for under trees or on the lawn but think carefully if planting in the lawn as this will prevent you from being able to fork the lawn and also cutting cannot take place until the leaf of the bulb has dropped down and died, crocus and snowdrops flower early in spring before any cutting take place but if planting Daffodils in the lawn then it is a good idea to think carefully about your planting design as Daffodil leaf is usally not cut back until late May/early June to allow the bulb to build up its food storage reserves for the following years growth

Tulips are a good bulb to plant in beds prior to putting in your winter bedding or if you are planning spring plantings, unlike Daffodils the Tulip bulb should be lifted every year so these are best planted in borders, pots or containers. If planting in containers make sure there is a sufficient grit layer for drainage. Tulips can be planted individually in borders or rockeries to brighten areas in the spring.

Paul Brannan