Spacing
The correct spacing of bulbs is very important as planting too close leads to premature overcrowding and poor flowering. You see, after about a year in the soil, bulbs start to produce daughter bulblets. As these bulblets grow in the following years, overcrowding can take place.

The bulbs and bulblets all struggle and strain for a limited supply of water, air and nutrients. This is a natural occurrence, but planting too close will only speed it up.

Bulb packaging should be printed with optimum spacing instructions. Be sure to read this to determine how far apart they should be planted. Certain garden centres, however, still sell loose bulbs, sort of like the sweet shop pick ‘n mix, where you grab a plastic bag and fill it with your desired mix of daffs, tulips etc. When you buy bulbs in this fashion, don't forget to ask a staff member to print the bulb spacing onto the bag or onto a piece of card dropped into the bag.

Again, like with spacing, all bulb packaging should display the optimum planting depth. Occasionally you will come across bulbs without planting depth instructions or you may have been given some freshly dug bulbs as a present from a fellow gardener. How deep do you plant these?

I have a rough rule of thumb to help you in such situations; you can usually get away with planting at a depth that is twice the bulbs height. This planting depth is measured from the base of the bulb, resting on the soil in the hole to the existing topsoil level.

Planting
It may seem obvious, but ensure that daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, snowdrops etc are planted with the root base pointing downward and the pointy top or nose of the bulb pointing upward. This gets the flower growing in the right direction from day one.

When creating the individual planting holes, loosen the soil below the depth the bulb is to be planted, adding a shake of sharp sand to aid drainage. It will also benefit the long-term life of the bulb to add a slow release organic fertiliser to the soil at the bulb’s base. Press the upright bulb down firmly onto this mix and cover with similar fertiliser and sand amended soil. Give the planting area a thorough watering and you're done!

Until next week, happy gardening and remember, a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.

As well as his horticultural writing, James Kilkelly provides a garden and landscape design service based in County Galway. Contact him through his website www.gardenplansireland.com or alternatively by phone at 087-2067846.
 
For free access to an incredible wealth of gardening information visit his gardening forum www.irishgardeners.com.

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