When planting bulbs, it’s important to plant them at the right depth to ensure you get to enjoy the flowers.
Bulbs that are planted too deeply may produce only foliage at the expense of flowers, or not emerge at all. Too deeply is better than too shallow, though, which puts the bulbs at greater risk of being dug up accidentally, or by squirrels, which will feast on the nutritious bulbs.
Generally, the rule of thumb is to plant bulbs at three times their depth, but there are exceptions to the rule to be aware of. Remember, too, that most bulbs enjoy well-drained soils. If you have heavy soil, plant bulbs that’ll enjoy it, like snake’s head fritillaries, or improve the soil drainage with well-rotted organic matter.
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Find out how deeply to plant different bulb types, below.
Tulips
Depth: 20cm or three times their depth
Soil: well-drained, neutral or slightly alkaline
Position: full sun, ideally in a sheltered location
When: November to December
Iris reticulata
Depth: 10cm or twice their depth
Soil: well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic
Position: full sun
When: September to October
Daffodils
Depth: 15cm or three times their depth
Soil: moist, well-drained
Position: sun or light shade
When: September to November
Fritillaria imperialis, crown imperials
Depth: 30cm or three times their depth
Soil: deep, well-drained soil that has been enriched with well-rotted manure or leaf mould
Position: on its side in full sun
When: September to November
Fritillaria meleagris, snake’s head fritillary
Depth: 10cm or five times their depth
Soil: moist, well-drained and humus-rich
Position: full sun to partial shade, ideally in a cool location
When: September to October, or April while in flower
Large globe alliums
Depth: 30cm or three times their depth
Soil: well-drained
Position: full sun in a sheltered location
When: September to October
Allium sphaerocephalon
Depth: 15cm or three times their depth
Soil: fertile, well-drained
Position: full sun
When: September to October
Crocus
Depth: 10cm or three times their depth
Soil: well-drained, gritty, poor to fertile soil
Position: full sun
When: spring-flowering crocus from September to November; autumn-flowering crocus from July to August
Snowdrops
Depth: 10cm or three times their depth
Soil: moist, well-drained, humus-rich
Position: dappled shade.
When: September to November or just after flowering in spring.
Hyacinths
Depth: 10cm or twice their depth
Soil: moist, well-drained
Position: full sun
When: September to October
Layering bulbs
To extend the colour provided by spring bulbs, try layering them in a container, using bulbs that flower at different times. Watch this video on layering crocus, daffodils and alliums.
