By Calz
London, United Kingdom
i only have one flower bed and planted some spring bulbs a while back would i be able to dig up and save the bulbs for the next winter season? Or should i compost them ? As i would like to have a flower display for each different season.
- 13 Jan, 2010
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flower bulbs
Answers
Thanks can i dig up and save most types of bulbs ?
13 Jan, 2010
The quick answer is no, there are some bulbs which do not do well if dried out. Things like Snowdrops and Fritillaries are the ones which come to mind. Crocus (which are croms, not bulbs) also prefer to be left in the ground until well after the leaves have gone. Daffs and tulips you may remove and dry off for replanting. Again this really should be done once the leaves have died down. Usually by then the other plants have begun to grow and disturbing them is not good.
In places in our garden we have 3 layers of bulbs, shallow planted(crocus) ones. mid (small daffs) and deep ones (big daffs and tulips). They flower at different times and do not get in each others way.
However, if you really want to, possibly the best thing to do is to plant your bulbs in pots and bury the pot in your border. Then when the flowers are over, replace with the next set of plants. The pots of bulbs may then grow on, with some extra food to be replanted the following season.
13 Jan, 2010
yes you can but if you leave them in for a couple of years ,when you dig them up you will have a lot more bulbs, and they will not be in your way of planting out beding plants .once they have finished for get them , untill they give you a lovly surprise agine in the spring, do what ever you want through the summer and autum ,spring is taken cair of,
13 Jan, 2010
we posted at the same time Owdboggy.
13 Jan, 2010
Thanks guys sorry one last question what about Alliums ?
13 Jan, 2010
the leaves on alliums are normally dying back when the bulb flowers. I have always left mine in the ground, leaving the flower stem even when it has gone over as some species still look good through to the autumn. you could always cut them back after flowering and mark the spot with a plant label so you dont dig them up when planting something else.
13 Jan, 2010
Are you intending to just plant bedding Calz or are you going to have some perennials? As to alliums, the large ball shaped ones look lovely through the year and multiply quite well too if left alone:-)
13 Jan, 2010
Tall or large bulbed Alliums you can dig up and dry off, though it is not really good for them. Smaller ones like A. moly or cowanii are better left in the ground.
14 Jan, 2010
Bornagain- Umm I Think I Would Like some perennials I Just Don't Want To Be Stuck With The Same Thing All The Time I Would Like To Try Out Everything That I Can. Thank you to everyone who helped answering my question =]
14 Jan, 2010
I'm no expert, but if you plant tulips say, you can plant very deep and it prevents certain tulip disease then leave them in the ground, they should come up every year. Then you could plant some perennials such as heucheras as they're evergreen and come in lovely colours.( type in Vicky) top right and click on search or just type in heuchera. Then you could maybe buy some hardy annual seed or bedding which you will compost at the end of season. Visit your local garden centre and see which perennials catch your eye. Maybe you have room for some small shrubs as a background, many of them have pretty flowers. Enjoy:-)
14 Jan, 2010
bornagain- your idea sounds great i didn't think of that thank you =)
15 Jan, 2010
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you can dig them up once they die down but you could leave them were they are and go ahead with your beding planta you will not see them untill next spring once they are finished,
13 Jan, 2010