Bulbous plants - colourful signs of spring

Everyone craves the sight of colourful flowers after winter. This is when we know that the beautiful season of the year - spring - is undeniably approaching. Some of the earliest blooming plants that delight our eyes are certain bulb flowers. What should we remember when cultivating them? How can we care for them to adorn our gardens for as long as possible? Let's discover a few basic needs of these plants.

Which bulb flowers to choose

If we want to have blooming plants in our flowerbeds as soon as possible, it’s worth opting for crocuses, grape hyacinths, or hyacinths. We can also choose the well-known snowdrops. As their name suggests, their delicate flowers can appear even through the snow by mid-February. In March, crocuses, hyacinths, and daffodils bloom. In April, daffodils, checkered lilies, and snowflakes join the bloom. All of these belong to the family of bulbous plants. They are relatively easy to grow, and any gardener, even a beginner, can manage them.

Planting flower bulbs

Bulb flowers that will bloom in spring are planted in autumn, and at this occasion, we can provide them with fertiliser. They grow well in humus-rich, well-draining soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. It’s beneficial to turn the soil beforehand and mix it with compost, making it lighter.

We plant only healthy bulbs without spots, mould, or mechanical damage. These flowers prefer sunny or lightly shaded locations. The planting depth and the distance between plants, of course, depend on their species and bulb size. The main rule states that we plant bulbs to a depth that is three times greater than their height. We can plant them in special baskets available at garden shops. This way, small rodents like mice won’t make a meal of our flowers. We can also plant bulbs in boxes or pots. Remember that in such cases, the plants are especially susceptible to frost, and we must adequately protect them from wind and frost.

How to care for bulb flowers?

After winter, when the substrate is dry, our flowers will need watering. However, we should not overdo it. Fertilising the planted bulbs is not necessary, but it will help produce larger flowers. After flowering, it’s worth removing the dry flower heads while being careful not to damage the leaves.

Bulbous plants should be dug up at the end of their growing season when they have already gone into dormancy. We must dig up tulip bulbs every year, hyacinths every 1-2 years, and daffodils every 2-4 years. If we don’t do this, the bulbs may rot in the soil (due to high moisture and temperature). We can tell it’s time to dig them up when the leaves of the plant have turned brown. The bulb itself should have dark brown scales after digging. A good time for these tasks is late July. Only snowdrop bulbs are dug up in June.

Conditions for storing the bulbs are also important. If our basement is warm and humid, it’s better to look for another place. Flower bulbs need a dry, airy environment with a temperature of around 20 degrees. The dug-up bulbs should first be left for about 2 weeks, and then cleaned of any leftover leaves or soil. Thanks to such care, the flowers will delight us for years to come.

Therefore, cultivating bulbous plants is not complicated. We can grow them in gardens, on terraces, and indoors. We just need to remember a few basic rules. If we adhere to them, we will enjoy the stunning colours of these beautiful plants early in the spring.

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This publication was created in collaboration with the portal Gardening Guide - the largest gardening portal in Poland.