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Guide to Planting Bulbs in Your Backyard

Colourful, fragrant flowers add something special to any outdoor area. While they will look amazing and add splashes of colour to your backyard, unlike installing an expensive pond or water feature you won’t have to worry about your home insurance premiums going up, yet they can dramatically add to the overall aesthetics of your home.

What are some of the most popular bulbs to consider planting?

Freesias, daffodils and tulips are some of the most popular just to name a few. Depending on where you live and how much sun your backyard gets, you should choose bulbs that are ideal for the climate in your yard.

While most bulbs prefer to be planted in relatively sunny areas, some will also do well in part shade. Here are some varieties to consider, depending on the amount of sun your garden bed receives:

 

  • Anemones, tritonia, daffodils and the Dutch Iris are just a few of the varieties that do well in full sun.

  • Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths bluebells and freesias are a few of the varieties that cope well with some shade as well as sun.

What is the difficulty level associated with growing bulbs?

Bulbs are easy to grow because many don’t require much attention at all. So you can enjoy gorgeous flowers and splashes of colour, without having to fuss in the garden each day.

 

When is the best time to plant?

Between March and May are the best times to plant most bulbs. If you are planting in an area near your pool, use your pool cover to ensure that dirt and plant food doesn’t get into the pool and wreak havoc with the chemicals in the water.

IMPORTANT:Bulbs need cool soil that is well drained. They don’t cope well in poorly drained, wet soils.

Preparing to plant your bulbs

First things first. You need to prepare the soil. Loosen it, and ensure it is well drained. Add some bulb food and rake through. To keep the soil rich you can also add compost at this point.  Fill the container so that the tips of the bulbs are level with the rim. Then, fill the pot to the rim and press the mixture around the bulbs.

Watering

Once you have planted your bulbs, water them occasionally for the first 8 to 10 weeks. Gradually increase the amount of water you give them as they grow.

Feeding

Feeding is really important for bulbs. Ensure you feed them with bulb food just before the buds show and feed them as they grow. Failure to feed your bulbs may result in no flowers.

Bulbs can make a wonderful addition to your garden or your balcony or terrace. As long as you follow the above steps and have the ideal sunny spot for them to grow you’ll find it easy to add splashes of colour and fragrance to your outdoor area. 

Neel

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