Gardening expert shares 'lightbulb technique' for planting bulbs
If you're thinking about getting ahead with planting spring-flowering – and hardy summer-flowering – bulbs, a gardening expert has shared an interesting technique to consider.
Celebrity gardener and horticulturist David Domoney recently spoke about the 'lightbulb' technique during a segment on ITV’s This Morning.
Here’s everything you need to know about the gardening trick...
How to plant using the ‘lightbulb' technique
While you might be familiar with the 'bulb lasagne' planting method (which involves layering in a smaller pot or container), David’s trick is ideal for any size display and is used to prevent root rot.
He explains the name comes from the way you insert the bulb into a pot, which mirrors the same motion you use when you change a lightbulb.
“Ensuring that the tip is pointing upwards and the roots downwards, the lightbulb technique involves pushing and twisting the bulb into place just like how you would fit a lightbulb,” David explains to Love The Garden. “As you push the bulb into the ground, if the bottom of the bulb doesn't hit the bottom of the soil, water gets in and can rot the bulb.”
“With a lightbulb, when you put it in, you always push and twist – and you should do the same with your flower bulbs. Push and twist each one in, so the bottom of the bulb hits the bottom of the soil, and each and every one of them will flower,” he says.
This should work for any type of flower bulb, whether you're intent on filling an entire flowerbed or are planning a smaller container garden or hanging basket. However, you do need to be quite careful as you push and twist each bulb that you don't damage them.
Right now, “while there’s still a bit of warmth in the soil in autumn, it’s ideal to get planting bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, tulips, and snowdrops,” he adds. Also, for most bulbs, just pick sunny spot with well-drained soil and use a trowel or bulb planter to dig a hole.
This hole should be around three times the depth of the bulb that you plan on planting (so if the bulb is two inches, you’ll need to dig six inches deep). This is because the closer they are to the top of the soil, the more vulnerable they are to squirrels.
“When growing bulbs in containers, they don’t have to be planted as deeply as those in beds and borders, and they can also be planted closer together for a bigger and more beautiful impact of clustered blooms,” David explains. But either way, you should follow this with some bulb compost.
What you’ll need
When should you ideally plant using the ‘lightbulb technique’?
Much like planting bulbs generally, spring and hardy summer-flowering bulbs are best planted in the autumn months, with November often being the cut off before the first frosts of winter.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to plant autumn-flowering bulbs, you will need to do this during the summer. So, you’ll need to wait until next year to try out the lightbulb method on these types of plants and flowers.
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