Spring is coming – When to plant the flower bulbs?
Most hobby gardeners are well aware that the eagerly awaited spring flowers have to be planted in the autumn of the previous year. At this time of year the temperatures are still pleasant and the soil is soft and moist enough for the bulbs of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths to grow well. In the ground, the flower bulbs are protected from the cold and survive the winter unscathed.
But by no means all flower bulbs have to be planted in autumn. Summer and autumn bloomers do not tolerate late frost, so the planting times are variable. For a better overview, we summarize the planting time of the most well-known bulb flowers at this point.
Which flower bulbs to plant when?
An important aspect when planting flower bulbs on the balcony and in the garden is the looseness of the soil. With the exception of the frosty winter months, when the ground is frozen and hard, this is the case all year round. Lilies, crocuses and tulips produce the most beautiful blooms when they are in a group. Individual flower bulbs are therefore rarely planted. When planting, make sure that the planting depth is about three times the diameter of the flower bulb. In the following text we explain in detail which species are suitable for which seasons.
The planting season in March and April
When the last night frosts of the year are over, the sun begins to warm up the soil and gardening can begin. This is the time when the sturdier bulbs that bloom in summer are planted. You can now buy tree lily bulbs online to bury them in the ground at the end of March/beginning of April.
Other bulbs set for flowering in July early in spring include begonias, tiger flowers, dragonwort and summer hyacinth. The early spring cyclamen is also planted at this time, but it does not flower until February of the following year. Some spring bloomers such as the Cape milk star or the lily of the valley can still be planted in the spring if the autumn planting has been forgotten.
Which flowers in late April to May?
Many summer bloomers are of exotic origin and bloom only once a year. The shoot tips freeze if the last frosty nights have not completely passed. That is why you should wait at least until the end of April before planting the bulbs in the dahlia, garden gloxinia, Indian cane, as well as gladiolus, scallops and tuberose. In addition, plants such as buttercups, four-leaf clover, day lilies, star gladiolus, montbretia and zephyr flowers are among the plant species that do not tolerate frost and should only be planted in mid-spring. Freesias can even be planted into July.
plants in August
August is suitable for planting onion flowers that will not bloom until next year. These plants require a long preparation time and only develop their flowering after a growth phase that lasts almost a year. In addition to the autumn crocus, these include the saffron crocus, the golden crocus and the autumn crocus.
A specialty among the onion flowers is the Madonna lily. If you want to enjoy these magnificent flowers in June and July, you have to plant the bulbs in August of the previous year.