By March, gardeners are ready to welcome the start of spring. There’s lots to be done outside, now the slower winter months have passed. But Monty Don has taken to his monthly gardening blog to share a task to avoid in March which is to not touch spring bulbs growing in the garden.
Planting bulbs are ideal for any garden, as this will mean plants are flowering all year round.
Depending on the type, bulbs can be planted during the autumn, spring and summer.
When it comes to spring bulbs in March, gardeners might be tempted to give their plants a slight trim and tidy up. However, Monty urged against this.
He said: “Do not cut back, tie or tidy the leaves of any bulbs but let them die back naturally as next year’s flower is being created by the photosynthesis of the foliage.
“Leave them until the last trace of green has gone – which will be at least June – and then tidy them or cut back.”
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advises waiting for at least six weeks after the end of flowering before cutting back bulb plants.
Gardeners should cut back the dead foliage, and ideally, only remove them when they are yellow and straw-like.
Until the foliage has this appearance, gardeners should continue to water the bulbs and feed them as normal.
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The RHS also advises that gardeners do not tie or knot the leaves of spring plants.
The leaves need to be exposed to sunlight, to be able to photosynthesise. Tying them up, bending them over, braiding them, or tucking them under nearby plants are not good ideas.
The difficulty of spring plant growth depends on the breed, but among the easiest are daffodils and tulips.
Daffodils grow best in a free-draining area, away from total shade and away from south-facing walls.
Gardeners should plant daffodils at twice the depth of the bulb – between four and six inches deep – and between four and eight inches apart.
Tulips are best planted between October and November, and flower from March to May.
They prefer full sun and should be planted at least twice the bulb’s width apart – at a depth of two or three times the bulb’s height.
Most tulips are best replaced each year, as they are unlikely to reflower after one year. However, there are some varieties, like Narcissus Actaea and Narcissus Carlton, that do rebloom each year.
Bulbs thrive with an all-purpose fertiliser, which should be applied in late February to encourage flowering.
For bulbs in containers, the RHS advises using a liquid high-potassium feed, such as tomato fertiliser, from early spring until six weeks after flowering.
In terms of watering, all bulbs need adequate water while in growth, and for six weeks after flowering.
Check pots to make sure they don’t dry out during the growing period – compost should feel moist but not wet to the touch.
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