Get planting for 2021

You just have to look around you to see that autumn is well and truly with us, and as many gardeners and horticulturalists know, this is a busy season for tidying up and clearing the garden ready for springtime. It’s also a great time for planning ahead and planting spring flowering bulbs which bring some much-needed colour during the darker months of late winter and early spring.

Not only do bulbs create beautiful displays, they also grow well in containers, making them a great choice for Amberol’s range of self-watering planters which also offer the protection of being double walled to insulate against extreme cold.

Planting now for colour come springtime

September and October are the perfect months to plant spring flowering bulbs such as bright yellow daffodils, crocus and hyacinths. October is also the right time to plant summer flowering bulbs such as lilies and crocosmia, while tulips in all their myriad of different colours are best planted during November. With the days getting colder and shorter, it’s easy to forget bulb planting during the autumn months, but a little time spent planting now will be very welcome when the first flowers appear after the duller hues and landscapes of winter.

Creating the best conditions for planting spring flowering bulbs

The good news is that bulbs are hardy plants and easy to grow, but there are some tips to bear in mind when planting to ensure an abundant flowering.

• Bulbs such as tulips and daffodils prefer warm sites that catch the sun and are well drained. Fortunately, good drainage is assured in Amberol’s self-watering planters, and over watering is pretty much impossible.
• To create a good-looking display, plant bulbs in groups of six minimum. Amberol’s metre squared planters and wood effect barrels can hold 30+ bulbs so be generous when planting and you’ll be rewarded with a stunning display come springtime.
• When planting: plant bulbs in holes dug at around two - three times their depth and at least twice their width apart.
• Some bulbs such as arum lilies and alliums are best planted at three times their depth and one bulb width apart.
• Bulbs are likely to flower better if planted soon after purchase rather than being stored for long periods of time. However, if you are planning on storing them, ensure that they are kept dry.
• Bulbs should be planted with the shoot facing upwards.
• If planted when the soil is moist as it often is during the autumnal months, bulbs don’t need watering immediately.
• For longevity of flowering, it’s advisable to feed bulbs around every ten days with a high-potassium fertiliser as soon as shoots appear.
• Discard any bulbs that are soft or rotten and protect against the usual pests such as slugs and snails.
• Once in the ground, it’s worth bearing in mind that bulbs can improve year on year, especially if adding a well-balanced fertiliser to the soil during planting season.

Conserving water for the plant and the planet

Overwatering can be a problem during the winter months and like other flowering plants, bulbs do not thrive if over watered. The problem of when to water is removed if using Ambderol’s self-watering planters as the bulbs will only take in moisture as and when required.

To see the variety of Amberol self-watering planters, take a look at the full range online. And remember that Amberol’s self-watering planters are available in 18 standard colours and a variety of textures designed to enhance your floral displays all year round.

Call 01773 830930 or email sales@amberol.co.uk for more information.