Bulbous plants such as tulips or hyacinths have the ability to fill our garden with beautiful flowers. However, once the flowering season is over, we wonder what to do. Is it a good idea to do so? leave the bulbs buried Or is it better to harvest them and replant them next season?
If you are not sure which is the best option to take care of your garden, keep reading, because we are going to resolve all the doubts you may have on this topic.
When are the bulbs planted?
Planting bulbs is an activity that usually coincides with the natural cycle of the seasons. The exact time when we should plant them depends on what type they are.
Spring flowering bulbs
If the plants are going to flower throughout the spring, such as daffodils or hyacinths, the bulbs should be planted in the fall. Just when the temperatures start to get cooler after the summer and before the first frost arrives. That is, we should do the planting between the end of September and November. Thus, the bulb can develop roots along the winter and be ready to bloom in spring.
Be careful not to plant too early. If you put the bulb in the ground just at the beginning of autumn, it will flower too early and the resulting plant could be affected by the rigors of winter.
Bulbs of plants such as Iris reticulata, which bloom in spring and early summer, can be planted in late winter, especially in warmer regions.
Summer or autumn flowering bulbs
For bulbs that flower in summer or early autumn, such as lilies or begonias, planting should be done in spring, when the risk of frost has passed. Depending on the region in which you live, You can plant the bulbs between March and May.
How to plant bulbs?
To be successful with bulbous plants, it is not enough to choose the right time of year to plant them; you must also follow a series of precautions to ensure good development:
- Depth. Plant bulbs at a depth of two to three times their size. If you have a 5cm bulb, it should be planted at about 10-15cm deep to ensure it is well protected from the cold and prevent it from drifting to the surface.
- Spacing. To prevent bulbs from competing with each other for nutrients, plant them 5 to 10 cm apart.
- Irrigation. Once planted, water the soil for better settling. During the winter, you do not need to water regularly, but try to keep the soil slightly moist until the frosts arrive.
- Protection. If you have planted bulbs that will flower in the spring and you live in an area with very low temperatures during the winter, apply a layer of mulch to provide extra warmth. Once the plants begin to emerge, remove this protective layer to allow them to receive fresh air and more light.
Should the bulbs be left buried or is it better to save them?
Once the flowering period is over, the plant dies, but the bulb that has been left underground will flower again the following year. So what do we do? Do we remove it or leave it? The answer is: “it depends.”
Leaving bulbs in the ground has significant advantages. The first is that you avoid the additional work of digging them up, storing them, and replanting them later. In addition, there are bulbs that adapt very well to the soil and tend to multiply, so you will get more plants if you leave them where they are.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if the bulb is planted at a good depth, it will be protected from winter frosts and extreme summer heat, so there is no problem in leaving it in place.
However, leaving the bulb buried also has some disadvantages. In the case of areas with very harsh winters, the bulbs They can be damaged if the ground freezes too much.
In case the soil is very wet or does not have good drainage, the bulb may rot. Keep this in mind if you live in a place where rain is common.
As a general rule, we recommend that you only plant the following bulbs from one season to the next:
- daffodils
- Crocuses.
- Hyacinths.
- Fritillarias.
- lilies.
- tulips.
Among the bulbs that are best to dig up and save we highlight:
- Dahlias.
- gladioli.
- Tuberous begonias.
- Caladiums.
- Cana.
How to dig up and store bulbs?
To be able to do the operation safely, wait until the leaves of the plant have completely withered. Then, remove the bulbs and clean off any soil that may be attached to them. For this operation you can use a cloth or a soft brush, but Do not wash the bulbs with water because this increases the risk of rotting.
Next, dry the bulbs in a cool, dry place for one to two weeks to remove excess moisture. They are now ready to be stored.
Place them in a box with a moisture-absorbing material such as wood shavings or paper, and store the box in a dark, dry place where the temperature stays between 4º and 10º C.
Check the bulbs from time to time to make sure they are not rotting due to moisture or are too dry. If you notice any that are damaged, remove them. Once the appropriate time of year arrives, you can remove the bulbs from their storage location and replant them following the instructions we have seen before.
What we should be clear about is that in areas with moderate climates, bulbs can be left buried without any major problems. While in regions with cold climates or wet soils, it is more advisable to remove them after flowering and store them until the following season. The better you know your plants and the needs of each type of bulb, the easier it will be to care for them.