LEARN HOW - winter & spring planting
Winter bedding plants: While we wait for spring, winter bedding keeps the garden looking cheerful, and there’s no end of colours to choose from.
Violas are the stars of the show at this time of year, in a range of dazzling colour combinations, often flowering right through winter. In areas with mild winters, cyclamens are great for shady spots, with their gorgeously marbled leaves and shocking pink or gleaming white flowers. Plant them in pots with spring bulbs underneath for colour from autumn right through into spring.
Planting spring-flowering bulbs: with so many gorgeous spring bulbs available, it can be tricky to choose the ones that are right for your garden. Luckily, there’s a bulb to suit practically any spot.
Spring bulbs for sunny spots
Daffodils
Tulips
Crocuses
Hyacinths
Irises
Spring bulbs for shade
Bluebells
Snowdrops
Snakeshead fritillaries
Camassia
Erythronium
When to plant bulbs
You can plant spring bulbs from September well into late autumn – in fact, it’s best to wait until November to plant tulips as it reduces the risk of viruses. For most spring bulbs, however, September or October is the ideal time to plant.
On the question of how deep to plant bulbs, the general rule is to dig a hole at least two to three times the depth of the bulb, drop in the bulb with its roots pointing downwards and fill in the hole, firming the earth back well to avoid any air gaps. If you can’t tell which end of the bulb is which, plant it on its side and it’ll find its own way.
Most bulbs prefer well-drained soil, so if your soil is heavy clay, dig in lots of horticultural grit before planting your bulbs, or instead, plant them in containers filled with a 50/50 mix of grit and peat-free compost.
When planting bulbs in a lawn, the trick to creating a natural-looking arrangement is to throw the bulbs into the air so that they land roughly in the area where you want them to grow, then plant them exactly where they fall. This may sound (and feel) a bit strange the first time you do it, but gardeners have been doing it for years, so you’re in good company!
Top Tip
Plant larger bulbs in groups of 5-7 and smaller bulbs in groups of 20-25. For a natural effect simply toss a varied selection of bulbs in the air and dig holes to plant the bulbs in where they have landed.
Plant some bulbs beneath your wildflower meadow to bring an early display of colour before your wildflowers bloom - we recommend Grape Hyacinth, Crocus, and Allium for a continuous display of blooms through Spring into Summer just as the wildflowers burst into colour.
How to plant bulbs?
Choose a site with well-drained soil, so the bulbs don't rot when they are dormant in summer. Remove stones and weeds that you can identify from the area before you get started, and if the soil is particularly poor, mixing in some compost will promote healthy growth.
Bulbs should be planted to a depth of around three times the bulb's height. Use a plant dibber to measure the bulb and to create an appropriate-sized hole. Then place the bulbs into the holes and root end down. Bulbs can also be planted in pots.
Cover the hole with soil or compost.
If you’re looking for more ideas on what to plant this winter, your local garden centre, such as Ardcarne in Roscommon town is the place to go! They’ve got plants, bulbs and much more in store, and their staff are always ready to answer all your gardening queries.
Violas are the stars of the show at this time of year, in a range of dazzling colour combinations, often flowering right through winter. In areas with mild winters, cyclamens are great for shady spots, with their gorgeously marbled leaves and shocking pink or gleaming white flowers. Plant them in pots with spring bulbs underneath for colour from autumn right through into spring.
Planting spring-flowering bulbs: with so many gorgeous spring bulbs available, it can be tricky to choose the ones that are right for your garden. Luckily, there’s a bulb to suit practically any spot.
Spring bulbs for sunny spots
Daffodils
Tulips
Crocuses
Hyacinths
Irises
Spring bulbs for shade
Bluebells
Snowdrops
Snakeshead fritillaries
Camassia
Erythronium
When to plant bulbs
You can plant spring bulbs from September well into late autumn – in fact, it’s best to wait until November to plant tulips as it reduces the risk of viruses. For most spring bulbs, however, September or October is the ideal time to plant.
On the question of how deep to plant bulbs, the general rule is to dig a hole at least two to three times the depth of the bulb, drop in the bulb with its roots pointing downwards and fill in the hole, firming the earth back well to avoid any air gaps. If you can’t tell which end of the bulb is which, plant it on its side and it’ll find its own way.
Most bulbs prefer well-drained soil, so if your soil is heavy clay, dig in lots of horticultural grit before planting your bulbs, or instead, plant them in containers filled with a 50/50 mix of grit and peat-free compost.
When planting bulbs in a lawn, the trick to creating a natural-looking arrangement is to throw the bulbs into the air so that they land roughly in the area where you want them to grow, then plant them exactly where they fall. This may sound (and feel) a bit strange the first time you do it, but gardeners have been doing it for years, so you’re in good company!
Top Tip
Plant larger bulbs in groups of 5-7 and smaller bulbs in groups of 20-25. For a natural effect simply toss a varied selection of bulbs in the air and dig holes to plant the bulbs in where they have landed.
Plant some bulbs beneath your wildflower meadow to bring an early display of colour before your wildflowers bloom - we recommend Grape Hyacinth, Crocus, and Allium for a continuous display of blooms through Spring into Summer just as the wildflowers burst into colour.
How to plant bulbs?
Choose a site with well-drained soil, so the bulbs don't rot when they are dormant in summer. Remove stones and weeds that you can identify from the area before you get started, and if the soil is particularly poor, mixing in some compost will promote healthy growth.
Bulbs should be planted to a depth of around three times the bulb's height. Use a plant dibber to measure the bulb and to create an appropriate-sized hole. Then place the bulbs into the holes and root end down. Bulbs can also be planted in pots.
Cover the hole with soil or compost.
If you’re looking for more ideas on what to plant this winter, your local garden centre, such as Ardcarne in Roscommon town is the place to go! They’ve got plants, bulbs and much more in store, and their staff are always ready to answer all your gardening queries.
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