Learning How to Plant Bulbs
Some of the loveliest and most beautiful flowers can be produced from bulbs if you know how to plant bulbs properly. Planting bulbs is easy but if you don’t prepare your soil and follow a few guidelines you may not get the desired results. Your soil environment is important as the pH needs to be balanced and provide draining for optimal bulb growth. If your soil conditions aren’t correct then the bulb may not grow.
It is important to start out with healthy bulbs that are not withered, mouldy or dry. Additionally most times the larger in size the bulb then the more flowers it will produce. Most bulbs favour sunlight so you should choose a nice sunny spot to plant them in. It is alright is your chosen spot is a bit shady as long as they get at least 6 hours of sun a day.
You can plant your bulbs anytime before winter as long as you can easily dig the soil. Bulbs need that winter chill to successfully germinate and bloom. If you want to get the most root growth then you should plant your bulbs before November. If you don’t get freezing temperatures during the winter then you can purchase pre-chilled bulbs.
When planting bulbs the pointed end goes up. Sometimes bulbs don’t have a pointy end so try to make an educated guess. The pointed side is where the stem emerges and to get flowers sooner you want this side closest to the surface. It is not a large problem if you don’t plant the bulb stem up, though it may take longer for the stem to reach the surface.
If you want to promote root growth then you can sprinkle some superphosphate in the hole before planting. Large bulbs should be planted about 6-8 inches deep and smaller bulbs about 3-4 inches deep.
Sometimes animals may be a problem and eat your bulbs. It is possible to grow your bulbs in hardware cloth. The stem and roots can penetrate the cloth but the animals can’t get to the bulb. Some people say that sprinkling red pepper in the hole with the bulb as keeps rodents away.
You will need to water your bulb after planting to eliminate any air pockets and settle the bulb. It is not necessary to water your bulb unless for some reason you are having a very dry season. Once spring comes you will have a lovely flower to appreciate.