Plant flower bulbs now. Only if planted in good time will the bulbs grow well and develop a luxuriant splendor in the coming spring.

Think now about the coming spring

Spring includes snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. They are longingly awaited after the winter and without much care, the robust bulbous plants will delight for many years. The colorful spring bloomers set special accents in every garden and are the first food plants for many insects, also ideal for pots on the balcony and terrace. In order to be able to enjoy the great variety in spring, some planning is required now . Because the plants can only develop well if the flower bulbs and tubers are planted in good time . Below are our most important tips for successfully planting flower bulbs.

Planting flower bulbs — the right time

Only if you plant flower bulbs in the ground at the right time will the spring bloomers have enough time to form roots and delight with lush flowering after the winter. Depending on the species , the optimal time for planting the flower bulb varies. It is particularly important for winterlings and snowdrops that you plant the small bulbs in good time. A start from the end of August is possible here.

How are flower bulbs planted correctly?

In addition to the right time for planting the flower bulbs, it is also important how you plant the flower bulbs . The careful planting of the spring bloomers is carried out in the following steps:

• Loosen the soil well and remove all weeds.
• Dig a planting hole with a planting trowel or a special flower bulb planter. The depth depends on the bulb type.
• Sprinkle a handful of potting soil in the planting hole.
• You can also activate and support soil activity with flower bulb fertilizer . Put this soil activator in the planting hole before planting or sprinkle it on the surface and work it in.
• The flower bulbs are then planted in the planting hole with the tip pointing upwards .
• Finally, cover the bulbs loosely with garden soil (excavation) and lightly press down on the new planting.
• Watering after planting is only recommended for daffodils and checkerboard flowers. With the other types of onions it is beneficial, but not absolutely necessary.
• It is best if you mark the spot where you put the flower bulbs. This avoids damage from hoeing in the phase before sprouting. Pro tip: To protect against being eaten by mice and voles, you can also place the bulbs in special plant baskets . These are reusable and primarily protect tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, winter lice, grape hyacinths and snowdrops from being eaten by mice. Daffodil bulbs and crown imperial bulbs are insensitive.

snowdrop

bluebell

What are the basic rules when planting flower bulbs?

1. Select the flower bulb according to the location . Grape hyacinths and ornamental onions thrive in the sun, while winter agarics, snowdrops and crocuses thrive in semi-shade.
2. Loosen the soil well, high-quality potting soil creates the best conditions for good growth. It is important that there is no waterlogging , otherwise the onions will rot. If necessary, some sand can be mixed in when planting.
3. Plant the bulbs deep in the ground, a guideline is two to three times the size of the bulb . Onions planted too deep sprout poorly. If the planting is too high, root development is reduced.
4. ThePlanting distance depends on the respective onion species. Small bulbs such as snowdrops, winter lice, crocuses, squills, anemones and star hyacinths are placed close together in groups . Here you can put groups of 10 to 20 flower bulbs. By planting in groups, you achieve a better effect on species with small flowers. You can plant the other species in groups of 5 to 10 bulbs.
5. Flower bulbs that bloom in spring should be planted in autumn. Only with timely planting can a root be formed and the development of spring flowers will take place.
Trivia: Ideally, onions should be picked immediately after purchasestuck in the ground, because that way they don’t lose quality. The plants grow well in the warm soil. On the packaging of the flower bulbs you will find the guidelines for the optimal planting distance and planting depth.

What should be considered when buying flower bulbs?

When buying flower bulbs, make sure that you only buy firm bulbs . Each variety of flower bulb has a slightly different shape and the size of the bulb depends on the species. However, there are differences in quality that must be taken into account.

Quality characteristics for flower bulbs:

• The bulbs are firm and show no bruises or injuries .
• There are no soft, squishy spots on the bulbs.
• The onions do not show any mold .
• Make sure that the onions do not sprout .
• With the exception of the imperial crown and lilies, flower bulbs have a protective shell. This should be intact when buying flower bulbs.
• Plant the flower bulbs immediately after purchase. If this is not possible, you should store the onions in a dry and airy place until setting to avoid mold growth and to maintain quality.

Trivia: The larger the bulb in each group, the more lush the bloom. The quality of the flower bulb is classified by the size of the storage organ.

Circumference (minimum standard) for flower bulbs

• Large-flowered tulips 11/12 or 12
• Wild Tulips 8/9
• Daffodils 12/14
• Botanical Crocuses 5/7
• Large-flowered crocuses 8/9
• Snowdrop 4.5/5 or 5/6
• Hyacinths 15/17 or 17/19
• Grape hyacinths 9/10 or 10/12

Imperial crowns 22/24 or 24/26

Quality at Pflanzen-Kölle means that you get tulip bulbs in size 12+ and the XXL varieties in size 14. With the other types, the size is usually larger than the minimum standard. With these large bulbs, you lay the foundation for lush flowers in the coming year when planting flower bulbs.

Buy flower bulbs

What collections of flower bulbs are there?

In addition to the classic flower bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, there are a number of special features in the large range of bulb flowers. Depending on your needs, you can choose from the following areas:

• fragrant
• suitable for buckets
• suitable as a cut flower
• to naturalize

select the appropriate species. Planting bulbs is the same for all collections , planting takes place in late summer and autumn and the species flower after winter. You can also put flower bulbs in shady gardens, choose the Shade Garden collection for this . With the Bee Friend, Bee Pasture, Beneficial Paradise or Butterfly Garden collectionsplant insect-friendly flower bulbs. For the natural home garden, wild species that multiply over large areas over the years are available. Even without a garden, you can plant and enjoy flower bulbs. Plant the bulbs from the collections for pots and tubs and enjoy the colorful flowers on the balcony or terrace for weeks from March. A popular group of bulb flowers are the various types of ornamental onions (Allium). This group of plants can be used to create attractive plantings well into the summer.

Thanks to the easy care, spring flowering bulbs are very popular and the range leaves nothing to be desired. We would be happy to advise you on this extensive topic and help you to create your dream garden with flower bulbs. Of course, you can also order flower bulbs and garden plants directly from our online shop — take a look: Read our autumn flower bulbs guide to find out how the bulbs thrive best and when the flowering season is.