Tulips and Daffodils - hints and tips

The flower is already set in the bulb from the previous year, so when you buy a bulb, all you need to do is to plant and the flower will come.

To get the very best from your bulbs try these tips -

Plant out bulbs as soon as you can - ideally mid to late autumn, to encourage as much root growth as possible while the weather is warmer.  Use a bulb planter to help with this.  Available as short or long handled.

Plant at least twice the bulb’s width apart and at a depth of two or three times the bulbs height. Deeper planting seems to increase the chance of re-flowering next year.

Bulbs love water when in active growth. Watering daily as the flower buds come will increase the flowers size.  Feed with Big Tom tomato food to make the plants even stronger.

Deadhead to prevent seed production and wait until foliage turns yellow and dies down properly before lifting the bulbs (about six weeks after flowering).

Keep feeding with Fish blood and Bone or Big Tom tomato food after flowering to help rebuild the bulb for next year.

If you don’t want the dying foliage in your borders, then plant your bulbs in pots and plunge them in the bed. When they have finished flowering you can lift the pot and continue to water and feed in a less conspicuous part of the garden

A small sprinkle of Root Grow at the base of the bulb when planting seems to help increase / maintain bulb size for the following year.

Bulbs do not have to be lifted if they are in the garden - most will 'naturalise' in the garden if left.  If you wish to move plants around, why not plant bulbs in pots which can be sunk in the garden and moved about from year to year.