How do I plant bulbs?

Bulbs are close to foolproof — they arrive with next year's flower already formed inside them. The two things that go wrong are planting depth and drainage. Too shallow and they're vulnerable to frost and squirrels; too wet and they rot before they ever grow.

What you'll need

• Bulbs
• Trowel or bulb planter
• Grit or coarse sand for heavy soil (optional)
• Chicken wire if squirrels are a problem (optional)

Step by step

1. Plant spring-flowering bulbs in autumn — September to November for most.Tulips are the exception and do better planted late, in November or even December, which reduces the risk of tulip fire disease.
2. Plant summer-flowering bulbs in spring, once the worst frost has passed.Lilies, gladioli, dahlias. Check individual hardiness before planting out.
3. Choose a spot that drains — bulbs sitting in wet soil will rot.If your soil is heavy clay, add a handful of grit to the bottom of each hole or plant in pots instead.
4. Dig to about three times the bulb's own height.So a 5cm daffodil bulb goes about 15cm deep. Too shallow is the most common error.
5. Place the bulb pointed end up, flat basal plate down.If you genuinely can't tell — some are ambiguous — plant it on its side. It will right itself.
6. Space them at about two to three bulb-widths apart.Closer looks better in the first year; wider gives them room to multiply and lasts longer.
7. Backfill, firm gently and water once.One watering settles the soil around them. After that, autumn rain does the work.
8. Let the foliage die back naturally after flowering.The leaves feed next year's flower. Cutting them green is the main reason bulbs 'go blind' and stop flowering.

Tips

• Plant in odd-numbered groups rather than rows. Scattering a handful and planting where they land looks far more natural than a grid.
• Layer bulbs in pots — 'lasagne planting' — with late-flowering deepest and early-flowering nearest the surface, for a long succession from one container.
• Squirrels dig up tulips and crocus in particular. A layer of chicken wire over the soil, removed in spring, stops them.
• Daffodils naturalise readily and come back for decades. Most modern tulips are effectively annuals and decline noticeably after the first year.

Common mistakes

• Planting too shallow — Bulbs are more exposed to frost, dry out faster and are easier for squirrels to find.
• Planting in waterlogged ground — Rot is the leading cause of bulb failure, and it's usually drainage rather than disease.
• Cutting the foliage down after flowering — The leaves are building next year's flower. Cutting them green gives you leaves but no flowers next spring.
• Planting tulips in September — Early planting in warm soil increases the risk of tulip fire. November is better.

Questions people ask