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Spring bulb quantities

louisapalmer10louisapalmer10 Posts: 2
in Plants
I’m trying to plan a bed of spring bulbs and am really having trouble trying to work out how many to buy!  For example I know I should plan approx 60 tulip bulbs per sq m but if I am planning for 3 sets of tulips (early, mid and late) do I buy 60 of each? Surely this would be too congested?  And if I’m mixing types of bulbs ie tulips and bluebells do I plan for the full recommended quantity of both?  Any advice welcome...my head is about to explode!

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I would not want to plant Bluebells in the same bed as tulips, they are woodland plants. Tulips need lots of sun.
    You need to think about what else the bed will contain, after the bulbs are finished.
    It may be easier to think about how far apart the bulbs should be, in order to work out how many you need.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • louisapalmer10louisapalmer10 Posts: 2
    Totally take your point ref the bluebells and needing to pick bulbs who like the same situation. But still totally confused ref the number of bulbs and the successional planting conundrum. Will probably fill bed with annuals during the summer 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    This table gives a figure for 'combination planting' and 'for colour effect.' Although it doesn't really take account of what other things you're combining with, it should give you an idea of how many to plant, you can increase the density a bit if you like, e.g. 30 bulbs of each of your 3 tulip varieties, assuming they're successional. That's still quite dense! https://www.adrbulbs.com/page/Bulbs-Per-Square-Meter
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • batwood14batwood14 Posts: 193
    hi @louisapalmer10 - it just depends on the look you want to achieve but you can plant a large number together. Conventional plantings suggests 9-12 bulbs per sqft so 90-120 per sqm if you like so this is under your 180 quantity. However you can get away with this as you are using succession. 

    I planted 500 in a 1/4 metre by 5 metres. These were a mixture of earlies, mids and lates. see below
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    IMO Tulips will look better planted with other plants: Wallflowers, forget me nots etc.
    I always plant mine in pots, but always have some companion planting.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree with @punkdoc. Tulips need very different conditions from most other bulbs, so you need to take that into consideration. Unless you have perfect conditions for them, they will diminish over time anyway. The species ones are different, and there are a few varieties which are more reliable, but your own conditions will dictate how and where you plant them. 

    Bear in mind that plants of any kind don't always read the rule books about timing too. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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