Experience flowering beds this summer. With spring bulbs you can quickly and easily enjoy magical dahlias, lilies, gladioli and much more in your own garden. Learn more about the variety of tubers, when to plant them and how to propel them forward.

Do you know the bulbs that you should plant in spring? Learn the difference to flower bulbs!

With the right planning and choice of plants, you can easily experience an enchanting abundance of flowers in the garden or on the balcony. In addition to perennial and annual plants, we should not forget about the group of bulbous plants and bulbous plants. Versatile in terms of flowering time, flower shape and color, these robust flowering plants will delight you for many years with the right care. Bulbs and tubers complement the bed with perennials wonderfully, and the variety of flowers can also be experienced in pots with soil in summer.In this blog post you will find out what needs to be considered when planting the so-called spring bulbs such as dahlias, gladioli, lilies and tuber begonias.

What is the difference between flower bulbs and bulbous plants?

With this expertise, you can give plants the care they need and understand their development cycle. Many of the flower bulbs are hardy and delight year after year with a rich abundance of flowers without much care. Some require a frost-free spot in winter and, like most bulbs, need to be taken out of the ground in fall.

What is the best way to winter bulb plants and bulbs?

Many bulbs are considered conditionally hardy. This means that some of the tubers can stay in the ground over the winter. However, whether you succeed in your garden and on the balcony depends on the climate in winter and the soil moisture. You are on the safe side if you overwinter tubers frost-free. Ideally, storage should be in a dry place at 3 to 7 °C (e.g. garage, stairwell or basement). If the temperature is too high, the bulbs will sprout or dry out. If it is too cool and damp, mold can easily develop.

What to consider when planting flower bulbs:

You can plant overwintered or newly purchased spring tubers in the spring. Ideally, start planting at the end of April, as soon as the danger of night frost has passed.

The basic rules for planting depth are:

two to three times the tuber height. Tubers planted too deep sprout poorly.

The basic rule for planting distances is:

Depending on the growth height and growth width, the planting distance varies within the different types of bulbs and tubers. On the packaging you can see guide values ​​for the optimal planting distances. Basically, the bigger the plant gets, the bigger you have to plan the distance between the individual planting holes.

When to plant spring bulbs

You can only start planting the spring tubers after the last night frosts. You should therefore not plant the frost-sensitive tubers outdoors before the end of April. But so that it blooms in your garden without much interruption, you can push dahlia tubers in particular.

Forcing Dahlias:

To do this, place the tubers in pots with high-quality potting soil from the end of February. Then place the culture pots in a bright place with a temperature of around 10 to 14 °C. Water very sparingly to prevent rot. By forcing you get robust plants that are less susceptible to snail damage. With this preculture you can enjoy an earlier dahlia bloom. The growth advantage is also reflected in the abundance of flowers.

The advanced dahlias should be gradually accustomed to outdoor conditions. Ideally, place the pots in a sheltered spot outdoors on a cloudy day. These plants have a significant vegetation advantage and so the first flowers appear just a few weeks after acclimatization. Tuberous begonias, montbretia, freesias and the Indian cane cane can also be driven well. The tubers of anemones, gladioli and ranunculus are planted directly in the garden. Our gardening tip: some types of plants root faster if you place the bulb in lukewarm water for 24 hours to swell. Especially recommended for lily and anemone bulbs.

How are spring bulbs planted?

When planting, it is important to note the later plant height. Place gladioli more in the background, because with a growth height of more than 100 cm the imposing plants easily hide others.

Make sure the soil is permeable to water, because waterlogging can easily lead to rot. You can improve heavy soils by adding quartz sand.

If the soil is very loose and sandy, you should plant gladioli a little deeper in order to improve stability.

Water the freshly planted tubers thoroughly. Regular watering is important until the budding can be seen vigorously.

Especially the young sprouts of dahlias are a treat for snails. Check the infestation regularly. If necessary, a layer of sawdust or a snail tape will help.

Our gardening tip: put Flower Bulb Power in the planting hole when planting. This organic fertilizer contains live mycorrhizal fungi that naturally enhance root formation. In this way you promote the healthy growth and vitality of your flower bulbs and tubers.