BULB-PLANTING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 121, 15 February 1935, Page 18

BULB-PLANTING

For Spring Effects

These are busy days for the gardener who desires to welcome the first days of spring with the many gay colours of bulbs, as spring displays depend upon what is planted now. The range of spring-flowering bulos is a remarkably wide one, and affords the gardener an opportunity of selecting just those colours he prefers. Anemones and ranunculi, of course, aie always popular, and should be among the first bulbs to go into the soil. They, in company with narcissi, crocuses ano freeslas, should be planted at the first available opportunity. . The bulbous irises (Spanish, Dutch and English) flower in that order, and should be planted before the end or March. Tulips and hyacinths also enjoy a fairly long period in the soil, and should be planted not later than March. Other bulbs which may be planted during the next two months aie.— Brodialias, cbionodoxa. (requires cool root run), lily of the valley, fritillarias, snowflakes, ixias, moutbretias, grape hyacinths, babianas, and spring-flower-ing gladioli. All bulbs have two needs in com-mon—deeply-dug soil and really good drainage. Fresh animal manure should on no account be used, and where old manure is available, it should be placed six inches below the bulbs. The simplest way of planting bulbs in quantity is to take out trenches to the required depth, line with sand, and fill with well-pulverised soil. .. Most bulbs require a “sweet” soil rather than an acid one, therefore the use of lime should not be overlooked when working the plot. With tulips in particular, lime is essential to their well-being. More bulb failures have been traced to planting too shallow or too deep. The following table shows the correct depth for the principal spring bulbs:—

BUDB-PLANTING guide. Plant Depth Distance Apart. Anemone Babiana Chlonodoxa Daffodil Freesla Gladiolus Grape Hyacinth Hyacinth Iris (Spanish and ' ’Dutch) Irish (English) Ixia Ranunculus Tulip 2 inches. 2 inches 3 inches 3 Inches. 2 inches. 4 inches, 3 inches. 4 inches. 3 Inches. 6 inches. 2 inches. 1} inches. 3 inches. 4 Inches. 3 inches, 3 inches. G inches. 3 inches. 6 inches. 4 Inches. 6 inches. 6 Inches. 6 inches. 4 inches. 3 inches 4 inches.