General Hints and Tips for planting bulbs

General Hints and Tips for planting bulbs:

This information is provided to guide you in planting your bulbs. We are trying to be as accurate as possible in providing a good base line to do so, you may still have disappointment sometimes as bulbs, like plants, can be tricky and have a mind on their own.

However, the following steps will give you the helpful information needed.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

• Bulbs,
• Fork or Hand trowel, Gloves (some bulbs are skin irritable),
• Potting or bulb compost,
• Bulb fibre, sand or grit for heavy and wet soil.

HOW TO PLANT BULBS:

Once you have received your bulbs, please unpack them straight to let them breathe and reach cool temperature. Any temperature above 18οC will make the bulbs sweat and provide perfect conditions for disease to develop. Best temperature to plant bulbs is 10-12οC.

If possible, plant them straight away in a hole about 2.5 times their height with moist compost or soil. Cover them with more compost and water well. We would recommend planting bulbs in cluster to give a mass effect when flowering. 

Bulbs like well-drained soil and sunny spots. If your soil is heavy, add a layer of sand or grit at the bottom of the hole which you will cover with compost then. This will bring a good drainage to avoid stagnant water at the base of the bulbs.

 Once the flowering starts, bulbs do not require any specific treatment. If you decide to cut the flowers for your vase, it will impact the flowering the following season. The bulb depends on the nutrients inside the stem and leaves to flourish. Without them, the bulb will not grow and might be weak to produce a strong, healthy flower the next year.

Some bulbs, corms or rhizomes have a quite hard envelope. It is recommended to soak them in water for 20-25 minutes to soften up their skin and give them a stronger chance of rotting early. This is particularly true for Anemones, Snowdrops, Crocus, Begonias.

NOTE:

Some bulbs are packed in small plastic bags with holes. Despite our best effort to supply the bulbs in the best conditions, you may find a light white mould surrounding the bulb. This is normal considering the fact has been in a confined environment for weeks. This mould is called ‘Penicillium’ and is harmless for the bulb. Once the bulbs are planted, this will disappear and will produce normal flowering.

Should have any queries about your bulbs, do not hesitate to contact us by mail with your question at info@greensofireland.ie.

Michael