Care Guide: Planting Allium Bulbs

Contents

Introduction

So, you’ve bought those beautiful allium bulbs, ready to plant and watch them sprout their petals. But wait: What do you do with them now?

In this post, we will show you how to plant allium bulbs in four easy steps. Let’s get started! Read on to learn more about planting allium bulbs.

When to plant allium bulbs

Alliums make a big statement in the late spring/ early summer months. You can plant your allium bulbs from late autumn to spring, so long as the soil is not frozen or waterlogged. They are not fussy about soil type, but they must be well-drained and receive plenty of sunlight and water.

Where to plant allium bulbs

Alliums need a lot of sunlight throughout the day, and often lean toward the light when placed in the wrong area. To prevent this, make sure you find an area with full sun and well-drained soil. Like most bulbs, they don’t like soil that is too moist, so add some horticultural grit to the base of the hole if necessary.

Planting Alliums in the Garden

Once the perfect spot has been found, dig holes in the flower bed that are three times the size of the bulb itself, and place the bulbs in the holes with the pointy end facing upwards. If the soil is heavy, add a 5cm layer of horticultural grit to the base, or even mix the grit with the soil to cover the bulb and improve drainage. For this, you will need to mix 1 part grit with 2 parts soil.

Make sure to space your bulbs 20-30cm apart. As with many bulbs, you can add potash feed to enhance growth and strength, encouraging the bulbs to flower year after year.

Planting Alliums in a Pot

For gardens with limited space, consider creating a full spring flower display using the bulb lasagne method. This requires using multi-purpose soil and a large pot with good drainage. To fulfil the method, it requires adding a bottom layer of soil (around 10cm) and evenly spacing the larger bulbs above, with the pointy end facing upwards. Then add another layer of soil (around 5cm deep) and repeat, using smaller bulbs on each layer. For the best effect, try to avoid planting a bulb directly above another. Once these are planted, water lightly so that the soil is moist. For more indepth instructions on making a bulb lasagne, read our article now