Bulbs .........what now ...?

[SusieG]

Help please.......!

I've purchased these spring flowering bulbs, a long-handled bulb planter and a small one too....

These are the selection of bulbs :

5 x Dwarf Double Red Riding Hood Tulip
60 x Allium Moly
50 x Anemone de Caen
40 x Tête-à-tête
25 x Crocus Romance
5 x Iris Reticulta Blue
20 x Yokohama

This is where I was thinking of planting them: under the big old apple tree...

Sounds like a daft question ~ but how d'ya plant 'em...?

I've seen in the seed catalogues - bulb baskets - are these necessary..??

How deep should they be planted, and how should they be grouped for best display..? I have not a clue ...?
And when - is it in October (while I'm planting garlic/overwinter onions..??)....

Thanks in advance!

[veggiechicken]

Are there instructions about depth to plant on the packets, Susie?
Also flowerng times?
I grew bulbs in types, so you have a clump of daffodils, or a clump of crocus. Each clump should flower simultaneously and make more of an impact that dotting them about and mixing them up.
Most of them are lowgrowing though I haven't a clue about "Yokohama"
Should look pretty in spring.

[SusieG]

Are there instructions about depth to plant on the packets, Susie?
Also flowerng times?
Most of them are lowgrowing though I haven't a clue about "Yokohama"
Should look pretty in spring.

......just studied the packets, and of course you're right ~ planting depth is printed - also planting distance- and the months.....d'oh

The Yokohama is a Tulip, apparently...

So, baskets...?

And with the bulb planter, do you just take out the appropriate depth of soil and drop a bulb into it, then cover it over???
Is it that simple???
Also, do you leave the bulbs in situ or do you have to dig them up when they've finished flowering???

Sorry for all the daft questions....!!!!

[Bigmallly]

Depends if you want a random or regimented look. Personally I would rake some of that soil towards the edges of the beds leaving a 4" hollow where you want the bulbs to go. Open all the packets & empty them into a bucket, give them a good stir round, grab a handfull at a time and lay them on the ground, rake over the bulbs with the soil from the edges. Hey Presto.......................Oh, I forgot, the bulb planters will be surplus to requirement.........

[veggiechicken]

I leave bulbs in situ once flowered. Scatter some seeds over the area and let the flowers take over when the bulbs finish.
Those bulb trays are to help you pull bulbs up after they've flowered, for drying off and replanting next year. Too much like hard work for me

[cheops]

Hi Susie. You've bought a small selection of spring flowering bulbs. Normally you need to think twice when planting under a tree but the good news is spring bulbs from bluebells to snowdrops etc flower in spring to ensure they get the light and sunshine in wooded places BEFORE the tree grows its leaves and creates shade. I expect that area under the tree will look lovely next spring.
Bulb planters are useful where you want to 'scatter' bulbs without digging up and disturbing the ground, - for example on a lawn.
Everyone has their own ideas as Bigmally says, mix and plant. Veggiechicken suggests plant your bulbs in clumps, each clump for each flower type.
As for me I like each species of bulb to be grouped together. I don't even like mixing different daffodils or different coloured tulips together but that's me. No one is correct - it all depends on your preference. I expect you have pictures of the bulbs flowering so close your eyes and imagine how best you would like the area to look - a patchwork of flower clumps or a random mix of flowers. The advantage of clumps is as the years go by and the bulbs multiply it is then easier to dig up an individual clump of bulbs which has increased to create two clumps from the original one. So that answers another of your questions - leave the bulbs to grow and multiply over the years.
I always plant bulbs a little deeper than recommended. It doesn't harm their flowering and you may in the summer want to put in some bedding plants or even summer flowering perennials and you don't want to damage or disturb the bulbs below as you lightly rotovate the soil and plant these summer plants.
Your recticulia will be beautiful -delicate yes but wait till you see how early they flower - one of my favourites. Tulips I plant as late as November - the rest anytime now. The reason - tulips can if planted too early push through the ground soon after being planted if it's still mild and frost during the winter can damage and blacken the tulip tips.
Show everyone a picture next spring - please. I expect you will be proud to do so.

[WendyC]

Anemone are best soaked overnight before planting.

[SusieG]

.............A massive "THANK YOU" Cheops..........

I've just gone all 'goose pimply' reading your reply ..... it's so exciting
I'll have to let my 'artistic' side take full rein ........ can feel some doodling and planning coming on ..!
I like the idea of planting them in 'clumps' of varieties.......
But then again a certain 'randomness' appeals too .......

~ and I certainly will show you a picture when they flower next spring....
.........can't wait.........!!

[cheops]

Your welcome Susie - as you ponder take into account that if you choose the random mix whilst that seems in the mind very picturesque and patchwork quilt like, each of the bulbs have their own flowering times so it will be a rather scattered sparse palette at times as they don't all flower together and you run the risk the more dominant foliage of some of the bulbs could outmanoeuvre others if they each don't have their own 'community'.

[rary]

Susie I usually leave tulips till November at the earliest, helps avoid tulip fire, but I have planted bulbs in January February, if it's a wet winter

[Jungle Jane]

Daffodils look better as a clump because of the height & their leaves can cover little flowers but some things look nice mingling,like anemone,crocus & iris if you look at the flowering dates you can group the packets together so they flower at the same time. Tulips are quite late to flower so good grouped together. I lay all my bulbs out on the floor in groups of flowering date & colour,makes it a bit easier otherwise it feels a bit like chaos with the amount of bulbs.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Yep! Echo the response from Rary regarding planting Tulips no earlier than November to avoid "Tulip Fire"

And general rule of thumb is bulbs are planted twice there depth, so a 1 inch high bulb is planted 3 inch deep, and an 1/2 inch high bulb is planted 1 and a 1/2 inch deep and so on.

Also put a little grit in the base of the potting hole, it helps with drainage to avoid your bulbs rotting.

Another tip for for them to look as if they were naturally grown is to take an handful of bulb's, toss them in the air and plant where they land.

Honest! It works!

[SusieG]

.........Wonderful..!! ....

Many thanks to all for your replies ~ I'm really looking forward to my first ever bulb-planting session ......

It'll be a wonderful wash of colour come Spring ........!

[rary]

Susie I usually leave tulips till November at the earliest, helps avoid tulip fire, but I have planted bulbs in January February, if it's a wet winter

I think I will blow a gasket with this kindle, you hit a button nothing happens, you pick it up and it moves, and usually to load something you don't want loaded

[SusieG]

Susie I usually leave tulips till November at the earliest, helps avoid tulip fire, but I have planted bulbs in January February, if it's a wet winter

I think I will blow a gasket with this kindle, you hit a button nothing happens, you pick it up and it moves, and usually to load something you don't want loaded

^^^^^^^^^ aaaaarrrggghhhh.....!!!!!!!!! ^^^^^^^^^