When to plant aliums

I've been looking though a bulb catalogue which came in my new gardening mag and there are lots of alliums taller than yours, including some new ones. That's the best way of choosing what sort you want. You plant them in the Autumn, and leave them to root and establish, then they come up and get ready to flower in Spring/Summer. You should be able to leave your old ones in the ground - as long as you don't get waterlogged? I had 'Purple Sensation' this year and though the flowere are smallish, they were successful and lasted ages. The seed heads were great, too. They will stay where they are. I paid lots for some big ones (Stipitatum) and they were complete failures. I shall try a different sort for next year. I shall try a bulb expert firm, possibly on the net, or maybe trawl the garden centres to choose good fat bulbs! Maybe somebody with more experience than me will be able to help us both as to whether we should feed them and when? Good luck with yours!

I too leave mine in the ground but plant them a little deeper than they say otherwise they tend to fall over as the heads get quite big.

i leave mine in all year and live in Michigan. I planted mine in the fall and by the following spring they bloomed. Also, to my delight they multiplied abundantly after a couple of years. I have 'Gladiator' bulbs and they grow about 3 to 4 feet tall and the blooms are about 6 inches in circumference. I did find that the blooms get smaller as they get older, but they make a striking statement in the garden when you plant in groups of 5 or more. As far as feeding them...I don't know because I have never put any fertilizer on mine (which may be why the blooms get smaller). Hope this helps you decide on a variety...I am certain you won't be disappointed at the beauty they bring to the garden.