An 8-Step Guide To Planting Bulbs

Bulbs are one of those “big things come in small packages” kind of deal. Their versatility is magical and unmatched with their ability of transforming into the most attractive and classy bloom, then die down and repeat the cycle for another year.

What are bulbs, you ask? Bulbs look similar to onions and are self-contained plant packages that hold all the energy they need to shoot and flower, almost foolproof you can say. With the right growing conditions, they can make it through any season. Follow our simple guide to planting bulbs:

1. Choose Your Bulb

Although the first step, choosing bulbs can be daunting, considering there are so many stunning and vibrant choices to choose from. You can choose from tulips, daffodils, hyacinth etc. during fall and winter so that they blossom in spring or you can choose tender bulbs like lilies or dahlias that grow through summer and bloom in fall. Whatever you decide, make sure they’re large, hardy and healthy bulbs. 

TIP: Store the bulbs in a cool, dark and dry spot. 

2. Find a Spot to Plant

Bulbs can be planted in garden beds or even in pots if you want to bring them indoors once they flower. They’re happy to be planted absolutely anywhere as long as you ensure they get partial or full sun time to time and have good drainage. Having well drained soil is critical to keep them from rotting.

3. Prepare Soil for Planting

Once you finalise the spot, turnover the soil, break up any debris, clumps and remove weeds if any. Add compost to the soil and distribute fertilisers to ensure your bulbs gets the best nutrients. 

4. Depth & Orientation

For Single Bulbs: Dig individual planting holes for each bulb.

For Mass Effect: Dig one big, wide hole and evenly space them out before back filling it will soil. 

A handy rule of green thumb with bulbs are to plant them at least twice as deep as their height. It’s a crucial step to make sure the bulbs are placed not too deep, as they may run out of energy before they reach the surface. Planting them too shallow too is risky as they could be uprooted by birds or probably not be able to support its growth.

5. Placement 

Ensure your bulbs are planted with the pointy neck up and the bottom roots fairly flat in direct contact with the soil. Probably also place shorter bulbs in the front of your garden, and taller ones at the back, so the sight of all can be enjoyed. For maximum colour impact, you can also mix different bulbs together. The more, the merrier!

TIP:  Mark the spot where you’ve planted your bulbs.

6. Mulch and Water

Once you’ve planted your bulbs in the ground, cover them with soil and add a light layer of organic mulch about two inches thick, to keep your bulbs cool. Once that’s done, occasionally water the bulbs to keep the soil moist. This helps the new buds to settle in well.

7. Growing your Bulbs

Bulbs require very little attention. Once you’ve planted the bulbs, you can literally just forget about them until the flower buds begin to appear. At this stage, as foliage pops up through the soil, water them with liquid fertiliser every two weeks for best results. Once the shoots appear you can water them more regularly. 

8. After-care for your Bulbs

Most bulbs can be left underground all year long or stored inside after they've flowered. After your bulbs have bloomed, don't remove their leaves while they're still green; always let the foliage die back on its own. They regain their strength to grow and produce new flowers next year from their foliage. After the flower dies, this process continues for weeks and is the most critical part of a bulb's life cycle.

Get outdoors and start planting some bulbs today! Don’t forget to show us on Facebook or on Instagram using the hashtag #AlwaysInterflora and #InterfloraAU.