Autumn is planting time for winter bulbs that will flower through late winter into spring. It is bulb season and over the next two months all the varieties that one knows and a few new ones will be available and ready to plant. Bulbs are easy to grow and with very little effort they add a splash of colour in late winter when everything looks drab and boring. Most of the bulbs sold all over the world have their origins in South Africa as we have the best climate for these treasures.

Bulbs are natures hidden treasure

Planting Time:
It is a good idea to buy flower bulbs as soon as they hit the shelves as this is when the choice is greatest. However, only plant your bulbs once the weather has cooled from the end of March. All the winter bulbs should be in the ground by the last week of May.

The planting location is also important in terms of temperatures. Winter bulbs need the cooler soil to grow even if the planting instructions are for sun. An excellent way of keeping the bulbs cool is to put a thick layer of mulch over the soil’s surface. This will not only help regulate temperatures, it also retains in valuable moisture.

Watering:
Water is the single most important factor in ensuring success from your bulbs.  The bulb’s roots need to be kept continuously moist from planting time onwards. If the bulbs are ever left wanting for water they may fail to flower. A regular deep watering is better than a light sprinkling every day.

Tip: A moisture meter is handy to accurately check the soil’s moisture level, especially in pots.

Feeding:
Well prepared soil is always the first step to healthy bulbs. Prepare the soil with plenty of compost and organic fertiliser. BioRock will help establish the roots and once they have shot out a feeding of BioOcean will get them growing healthy and into flower. When the buds start to show a bit of colour start feeding the winter bulbs with Multifeed Flowergro every two weeks to ensure the best blooms and repeat flowers.
           
Every year selections of what is available to plant differ and we will always recommend looking at the bulbs instore to make a selection. There are some stalwarts like the iconic Daffodils and ever popular indigenous Freesias or the opulent Ranunc’s but there may be just a few things each year that are different of a new colour never seen before. In short never underestimate the joy of planting something different and waiting for the magic to appear in spring.

Read more on how to grow the best Daffodils on our additional article here.