Why Autumn Is the Best Time to Plant

There is something quietly satisfying about planting bulbs in autumn. The garden is winding down, the borders are looking tired, and yet you are tucking away a promise of colour for the darkest months of the year. Spring bulbs need a spell of cold to break their dormancy and trigger flowering, so planting them now gives them exactly what they want: cool soil, reliable moisture, and time to build roots before the frosts arrive.

As a rough guide, aim to get daffodils and crocuses into the ground from September to early November, and tulips a little later — late October through November is ideal. Tulips planted too early can sulk and fall foul of rot, whereas a late planting seems to suit them down to the ground. If you miss the window, don't panic. Bulbs planted as late as December will often still flower, just a week or two behind schedule.

Choosing Your Bulbs for a Long-Lasting Show

Variety is what turns a decent spring into a spectacular one. Think about succession: you want something opening in February and something still going strong in May.

• Crocuses are the earliest, often appearing in February with the first stirrings of warmth. Plant them generously — a scattering of twenty looks mean, a hundred looks joyful. Try Ruby Giant for rich purple or the classic white and lilac Pickwick. They also force beautifully in small pots on a windowsill.
• Daffodils carry the season from March into April. Smaller types such as Tête-à-Tête suit pots and the front of borders, while taller varieties like Carlton and Ice Follies naturalise beautifully in grass. Daffodils are reliably perennial, so a modest investment pays you back for years.
• Tulips bring the grand finale in April and May. They are less dependable about returning, so treat them as annuals unless you have very free-draining soil. Species tulips such as Tulipa turkestanica and Little Beauty are the exception and will happily settle in permanently.

Buy bulbs that feel firm and heavy for their size, with no soft patches or mould. Skip anything shrivelled — it is already spent.

Getting the Depth and Spacing Right

This is where most disappointing displays begin. The golden rule is to plant at roughly three times the bulb's own height: a 15cm deep hole, measured from the base of the bulb to the soil surface.

• Crocuses: 5–8cm deep, about 5–8cm apart.
• Daffodils: 10–15cm deep, 10–15cm apart.
• Tulips: 15–20cm deep, 10–15cm apart.

Plant with the pointed tip upwards and the flat, rooty base down. If you cannot tell which is which, lay the bulb on its side — it will right itself. Firm the soil gently to close any air pockets, then water well. Always plant in groups or drifts rather than single file; bulbs look far better in odd-numbered clumps of seven, nine or eleven.

Planting in Borders and Pots

In borders, fork the soil over first and work in a little garden compost or leaf mould. Bulbs hate sitting in waterlogged ground, so if your soil is heavy clay, add a handful of horticultural grit to the base of each planting hole. Avoid fresh manure, which can burn the bulbs.

Containers give you the most control and the earliest colour. Use a loam-based compost mixed with grit, and make sure there are drainage holes — a pot without them is a death sentence. A simple trick is lasagne planting: put tulips at the bottom of a deep pot, cover with compost, add daffodils, cover again, then finish with crocuses at the top. You get three layers of flowers from one pot, unfolding over about eight weeks.

Place pots somewhere sheltered from the worst of the winter wet, and raise them onto feet or bricks so water drains freely. In very cold spells, a layer of bubble wrap around the pot will protect the roots.

Naturalising Bulbs in Grass

Nothing says spring quite like a drift of daffodils across a lawn. The trick is to mimic nature: scatter a handful of bulbs and plant them exactly where they land, rather than arranging them in neat rows. Use a bulb planter to lift a plug of turf, drop in the bulb, and press the turf back.

Choose an area you can leave unmown. The crucial rule is not to cut the grass until the bulb foliage has yellowed and died back — usually six weeks after flowering. Those leaves are feeding next year's bulb, so resist the urge to tidy too soon. Crocuses naturalise well in shorter grass, while daffodils prefer a slightly rougher patch. Tulips are generally best kept to borders and pots.

After Planting: Winter Care and a Few Handy Habits

Water newly planted bulbs if the weather stays dry, but otherwise leave them alone. Squirrels are the main mischief-maker, particularly in pots, so lay a piece of chicken wire over the surface until the shoots appear. Soggy compost is a bigger threat than cold, so keep drainage in mind at every stage.

Mark your plantings with short canes or labels, otherwise you will forget where they are and dig through them in late winter. When shoots emerge, keep an eye out for slugs on the tender new growth — a night-time torchlight patrol works wonders.

Plant generously, plant in layers, and plant in drifts. Come February, when the garden feels grey and closed down, those first green noses pushing through the soil will be one of the nicest things you did all year.