Getting the most from bulbs
Ruth takes steps to make sure her bulbs do their best
WHO doesn’t rejoice at the sight of the first snowdrops peeping through hard frozen ground towards the end of January, reminding us that spring is – at last! – on its way?
By the time we get to early March, the season of early spring bulbs is in full swing, our gardens and parks a riot of colour created by daffodils and tulips, tall blue camassia, crocuses, fritillaries and a host of other welcome returning blooms.
Although we say that bulbs are one of the easiest and most versatile ways of adding plants to the garden, this doesn’t mean they don’t need care while they are growing.
To get the best results year after year you need to treat the plants as you would any other. Deadhead, water and feed with a liquid tomato fertiliser to boost flowering and bulk up the bulb for the following year. Never tie or remove the leaves after flowering as they need to be left attached so they replenish the bulbs as they wither and fade.
If you are growing tulips you may need to start planning what to do with them once they have finished flowering.
Whereas species tulips (usually small flowers on short stems such as Tulipa linifolia and T. tarda) return reliably year in year out, most varieties (the large, statement plants) tend to flag after a year or so. For this reason some people like to lift and transfer them to a less visible part of the garden once they have flowered.
If this is your intention, wait until their leaves die back before lifting and storing them somewhere cool and dry until you replant them in autumn.