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Top 10 tips for planting

As Spring approaches, many people will want to reinvigorate, or even create, their garden. Below are 10 tips for planting this Spring.

1. How do you prepare for spring planting?

• Plan the garden. Think ahead of time about which plants you want to have in the garden and how to arrange them. A great way to do this is to make a plan and draw a sketch.
• Soil test. Use a soil test kit to determine the nutrient levels in the soil.
• Remove the weeds. Apart from being stealing nutrients, weeds attract insects and cause disease to plants, too. Therefore, remember to clear them before planting.
• Good drainage is critical. Make sure the soil is neither too silty or too sandy, or the bulb roots will suffocate or dry out.

2. What to ask while buying bulbs?

• Find a local nursery to determine which bulbs you want to purchase. Ask questions, such as:
  • What kind of bulbs can survive and grow well in your city (viability)?
  • How long can they live (perennial, biennial or annual)?
  • What light condition do they require (full sunshine, partial shade, or all shade)?
  • Are they summer-blooming or spring-blooming bulbs? This is important because summer-blooming bulbs should be planted in spring, and those which are spring-blooming are best to be grown in autumn.

3. How do you choose bulbs?

• High quality bulbs are those who are plump and firm rather than shriveled or soft. In terms of size, larger bulbs are ideal because there’s a greater potential for them to survive and grow in comparison to smaller bulbs.
• Put more weight on quantities than varieties. For instance, if you want to plant 50 bulbs in total, it is better to buy 2 kinds of bulbs with 25 bulbs each than 10 kinds with 5 bulbs each, since it’s unlikely all the bulbs will grow.

4. What kind of fertilizer should you buy?

• Choosing the right kind of fertilizer depends on the soil and the plants you will grow.
• Determine the type of fertilizer to use based on what you will plant and the soil test results.
• You can purchase fertilizer at local nurseries or gardening stores. Ask staff for assistance by providing them with your results and plan for a more accurate, and therefore more beneficial and healthier, purchase.

5. How do you transplant a bulb from an indoor pot to outdoor soil?

• Prepare space for planting in accordance to the light condition bulbs require.
• Remove the weeds and big clods from the planting area.
  • Dig a hole for the bulb.
  • Put the fertilizer in the bottom of the hole and mix it with the soil.
  • Put the bulb in the hole, ensuring its bottom is in contact with the soil.
  • Cover the bulb with soil and press firmly to prevent the existence of air pockets, which causes dryness and hinders bulb growth.
  • Water well and place more soil on top if needed.

6. Which bulbs to plant first?

• The small ones go first. The small ones are more fragile, which results in their increased need for ground compared to larger bulbs.

7. How deep should you plant bulbs?

• Generally, spring bulbs should be planted in holes that are about three times as deep as the bulbs, though it doesn’t apply to summer bulbs. Hence, it is always good to double check the information supplied with the bulbs before planting.

8. Which side up?

• Nose up, bottom down. The nose, or the pointed side, faces up; the bottom is the root side, which goes into the soil.

9. What plants should not be next to each other?

10. How do you remember the positions of the bulbs?

• Mark the locations. Use some non-rusting, non-rotting labels, such as those made of zinc or copper, to indicate where you have planted your bulbs and what they are, in order to avoid planting other bulbs in the same place.