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Bulbs

angelacrumbleangelacrumble Posts: 1
in Plants
I would like to plant some spring flowering bulbs in my garden (english bluebells, snowdrops, crocus, snake's head fritillary). To have flowers in spring 2024 am I best to plant "dry" bulbs in the autumn this year 2023 or plant bulbs in-the-green next spring 2024? (I'm not sure if bulbs in-the-green are usually planted after flowering which would mean no flowers until spring 2025?) Thanks in advance for the advice. 

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @angelacrumble Snowdrops are always best planted 'in the green'. If you buy them in the autumn as dry bulbs they may not grow at all. Once in the garden I water the area that they grow in during summer if very dry,  it is at this pointthey can shrivel and die. If you want flowers in spring 2024 you can buy them just as they come into flower. They will soon settle.

    Crocus are not at all fussy you can plant in autumn.

    I was given fifty Snakes Head fritillary bulbs years ago. I planted them in the Autumn the soil is fairly damp this year they have done well. In a drier spring I have less.


    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I suggest you give the bluebells a miss unless you have a reasonably large area of woodland to underplant. They're pretty but can take over. Something like scilla or chionodoxa will give you blue while being better behaved.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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