Plant bulbs now for next year

18:11:20 6th November 2008

Autumn is the best time to plant bulbs in the garden and doing so normally means that it's time for gardeners to retire to the greenhouse for another year.

Before planting any bulbs, gardeners should take the time to prepare the soil to optimise conditions and give the bulbs the best chance of turning into beautiful blooming flowers in spring.

Although October is the best time for things like daffodils, a November planting would still work and this month is also the optimum time for planting tulips, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Remove any weeds and improve the soil with a good compost before planting.

Denser soils may need to be treated to allow better drainage and adding horticultural grit is a good way of doing this.

The paper advises gardeners planning to use pots to make sure they use a drainage-friendly compost and add crocks to the bottom to help improve drainage.

Taking a bit of care now could mean that, come spring, there will be a lush display of healthy flowers to admire.