Planting spring bulbs when its been so wet

[juslh]

Would it be better to leave it a week or so in the hope it drains/dries a little? My soil has a high clay content and so is very wet. Over time I will be improving the soil but its a newish garden (recent house move) so haven't been able to do much as yet.

[chillithyme]

Tulip bulbs rot in my wet clay soil, bluebells and aqualegia survive, I'm not sure other bulb varieties. Previously I have planted bulbs in pots and buried them to overcome this. This year I am trying out a bulb lasagne topped with primrose for winter colour, without burying the pots as I find it a bit laborious.
Similar to this

https://www.wyevalegardencentres.co....sagne-planting

[muck lover]

What about trying a little grit in each planting hole when planting. It’s just even if things do dry out a bit in the next week it’s fairly certain that over winter there will be a lot of rain and you’ll be back to square one.
I’m planning on planting tulips for cut flowers in some of my raised vegetable beds which are well drained. My biggest problem is those pesky squirrels which dig them up. I’ll have to put chicken wire or something over them to protect them.
Or just use containers. I’m not sure which bulbs tolerate clay soils but I see daffodils established and thriving on lawns so maybe they would be worth a try. Spring bulbs are so worth the trouble as they lift your heart with their display after a dark winter.
Good luck.

[chrisdb]

I lose bulbs every year, and I suspect the wet conditions are to blame. Some of them don't make it through the first winter, others that are supposed to come back manage one winter then die. My general approach is just to buy cheap bags with lots of bulbs in from Wilkos and other cheap sources (the ones with 30+ in), and just replant a lot in the hope of getting a decent display. I guess it's not a very sophisticated approach, but it works for me.

[nickdub]

I'm not sure leaving the ground to dry a bit will make much difference. If your soil stays wet over winter then a lot of bulbs will rot - methods to get round this involve adding something like grit in large quantities to improve drainage or mounding up the soil to raise up the top, say behind a retaining wall.

On the other hand if all you have is a temporary problem due to the weather, then I'd say get the bulbs in now but avoid trampling the soil down by using boards or whatever to spread your weight while planting.

[muckdiva]

Planted lots of bulbs in pots and it’s been raining ever since, can’t see them surviving though one of the alliums has already sprouted ...