When do you plant your spring bulbs in the UK?

[purple_cube]

I went to my local gardening centre today and saw that they were already selling spring bulbs (daffodils, tulips etc). I was just wondering when any of you who are UK-based tend to plant spring bulbs

Comments

[rhiannon_s]

I personally wouldn't plant anything this early, but my Grandfather always used to do his bulbs around the last couple of weeks of September. I don't think planting early makes as much difference as planting late though.

[purple_cube]

Ah, thanks very much for that. I was just worried about rotting/sprouting from planting too early. I think late September sounds sensible :)

[virginiadear]

If we plant too early around here, the bulbs break dormancy in the fall, then get slammed with cold, snow, sleet and ice, and generally seem to get confused, so I prefer to wait until the soil has cooled enough to keep them dormant through late summer (soil's still too warm), early autumn (again, soil's still too warm), late autumn (now we're talking!) and winter.

[purple_cube]

Thank you - that's what I was concerned about regarding planting too early...so I should wait a while and resist the urge to buy and plant bulbs for another month or so, I think :)

[virginiadear]

Check your soil temperature. You don't have to have a soil thermometer; you can use a spade or a trowel to dig to the depth you'll be planting your bulbs, and make sure the soil's uniformly cool, more or less, from the surface to the bottom of the hole you've just dug. And it does have to be cool.
Generally, you can plant spring-flowering bulbs up until the soil freezes, but at least ten weeks before they ordinarily break dormancy in your area.

You can buy now and plant later, but they need to be stored someplace cool and dry, which means not the refrigerator

[purple_cube]

Thanks for the tip on checking soil temperature, I hadn't thought of that.

Unfortunately, I don't really have anywhere to store bulbs if I buy them early. Our shed gets way to hot and humid when the sun is out. A couple of years ago I bought tulip bulbs and put them in the cupboard under the stairs, which is the coolest place I could think of in the house, and they rotted after a couple of weeks :( But yes, buying them late could be the way to go, as I'm not particularly choosy on varieties either.

Squirrels seem to rare around my part of Nottingham, so there's no danger there! My biggest annoyance is cats who think that a planted area of my garden that is covered in bark chips between the plants is one giant litter tray :(

[lilachigh]

In Kent my rule is later the better. Daffodils late October or even early November. Tulips even later. I planted mine first week of December last year! Crocus go in every time I walk across the lawn - I keep a handful in pocket and push one into grass every now and then!

[purple_cube]

Thanks for your advice - that's a lot later than I expected! Though I suppose we did have a very mild autumn last year, from what I remember.

I keep a handful in pocket and push one into grass every now and then!

Hee :)