Monty Don shares ‘incredible’ advice to make your spring bulbs a success (original) (raw)

With the winter months not far away, gardeners will have a whole list of tasks to complete to ensure their blooms survive through the cold and thrive when spring comes around

Monty Don is known for his popular gardening blog

With the seasons changing from summer to autumn, there will be a whole heap of new tasks to undertake in the garden .

As summer draws to a close, Monty Don has offered his advice to help green-fingered enthusiasts to make the much-needed tweaks to their gardens to ensure their blooms can survive through the harsh, colder months. September is the perfect time to plant spring bulbs, and Monty has shared the method he uses to make sure blooms are impressive each year without fail.

In his first autumnal post, Monty started by reflecting on recent conditions and what it means for our plants. He said: “The garden is fading, but elegantly, the textures thinning, becoming translucent, light seeping and slipping through the yellowing leaves. Above all, there is less daily light of any kind. Dawn grows later and dusk earlier and by the end of the month summer has truly gone."

Monty pointed out that there’s a specific method that’s needed when planting bulbs during the optimal months of September. Monty says, "Spring bulbs are now on sale but the ground is often much too hard to plant them in grass at this stage of the year, so I always begin by planting some bulbs in pots."

It’s important to make sure you pick the correct bulbs for the time of year. Some of the bulbs will be able to make it through the harsh winter while some won’t make it. “I start with crocus, daffodils - especially smaller ones like ‘tete a tete’ - reticulate irises, muscari and scillas. These need not be special or different from those in your borders or grass but will flower a little earlier and can be positioned to maximum effect next Spring," he said. .

Monty advised using an attractive pot that’s not too deep. He said he uses a terracotta pan. Even a very small pot housing just a few crocus can light up the most-dreary February days, he added. "You will need to mix your compost with some grit to make sure the drainage is good and the bulbs do not become waterlogged over winter," Monty adds. Once planted, make sure they’re sheltered so they can be moved into the sun when new growth begins.