Planting flower bulbs »Here's how to do it right

Use fresh flower bulbs

Take a close look at the flower bulbs: The air-conditioned, dry air in many specialist stores and the frequent touching are not always good for the bulbs. If the nodules feel soft or even begin to float, you should not buy them. The nodules have already used up part of their nutrient supply and the flowers will be rather sparse.

Which location is the right one?

Almost all bulb flowers prefer a place in the garden where the rays of the spring sun play around them. If the variety is also suitable for partially shaded locations, this is noted on the packaging. It usually also states whether the selected flower is suitable for reintroduction or whether you have to get the onion out of the ground in autumn.

Place flower bulbs

The setting is actually quite simple:

• The planting hole must be twice as deep as the size of the flower bulb.
• You don't have to re-measure this, because many bulbous flowers regulate the optimal depth themselves with pulling roots.
• So that the onions do not rot, you should put a drainage layer in the planting hole in compacted and loamy soils.
• Nutrient-rich substrate enables a good start.
• Always insert the flower bulbs with the point up and only press them gently into the ground.
• Cover the onions with humus-rich soil and press lightly.

The planting distance for larger onions should be about eight centimeters, with small onions three to five centimeters are sufficient. In dry soils, you should water the flower bulbs, as moisture promotes root formation.

And what happens after flowering?

Do not cut the leaves off immediately; let them dry out slowly. This is the only way for the onion to store the nutrients that are important for the next flowering season. Anything that has faded, however, may be cut off.

Whether you leave the bulbs in the ground or dig them up depends on whether you want to release the flowers or plant them annually. Both variants are possible.