Sunday Magazine – August 18, 2019

Alan Titchmarsh

organic matter – pre-used potting

compost or leaf mould are ideal

• plus a small dose of feed.
  If you are putting in valuable
  bulbs, or those that rot easily,
  such as foxtail lily (eremurus) and
  crown imperial, it pays to place
  an inch of sand or grit at the base
  of the planting hole and sit the
  bulbs directly on this for better
  drainage. In a garden with heavy
  soil that stays wet in winter it’s
  best to grow bulbs like these in
  raised beds or containers.

Planting in borders

Bulbs need to be planted more

deeply than most people realise.

Ideally, they should be buried up

to three times the depth of the

bulb length, measured from base

to tip.

Dig the planting hole rather

deeper than that, though, to allow

for forking in compost, then sit

the bulbs in place in the hole and

press them down firmly with a

slight screwing motion so the

base of the bulb makes good

contact with the soil beneath.

This is vital for good rooting.

For natural-looking displays,

group uneven numbers of bulbs

down each planting hole, spacing

them several inches apart. If

One to watch

H

ard as it is to believe,

autumn isn’t far off.

And if you want a good

show of flowers come

March or April, most

spring bulbs are best planted

in September. Snowdrops and

daffodils start rooting early, so

plant those as soon as possible

(they should be on sale in most

nurseries and garden centres by

now). Hyacinths and tulips don’t

start rooting until a little later in

the season, however, so delay

planting them until October to

avoid any risk of them rotting or

being eaten.

Choosing bulbs

Select large, plump, firm bulbs

• snowdrops, scillas and daffodils
  do best in reasonably moisture-
  retentive soil. They are happy in
  sun but they will tolerate light
  shade so can be planted around
  the base of deciduous trees
  and shrubs. Before planting,
  remove any weeds and fork in
  some well-rotted organic matter
  and a little bone meal or special
  bulb planting fertiliser.
  Other spring bulbs, however,
  need well-drained soil and
  a sunny, sheltered spot. Before
  planting, work in some well-rotted

Hydrangeas

They’re the unsung heroes of late

gardens, flowering throughout

the end of summer just when

many borders are past their peak.

Even when they are over, in

September, hydrangeas still

aren’t really finished since the

dried flowers remain on the

plants for many more weeks –

and they still look great coated

with frost in winter.

The long-lasting hydrangea

flowers make them popular for

cutting. Pick while they are fresh

and stand them in a jar filled with

Now’s the time to start planning – and

Switch to

Snowdrops do best in

moisture-retentive soil

Tulips take root

later in the

season

50 S MAGAZINE ★ 18 AUGUST 2019

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