10:50am Tuesday 9th March 2010
PLANTING summerflowering bulbs, corms and tubers such as lilies and gladioli can provide dramatic effects because they provide height, structure, colour and often fragrance all in one go, with little maintenance.
Summer-flowering bulbs need a bit more care than spring ones.
Lilies should be planted in early spring before the bulbs dry out, while dahlias, cannas and begonias are not frost-hardy and are better started off in pots indoors and then put out when all danger of frost has passed.
If you haven’t stored your dahlias over the winter, you might want to invest in some new ones. The size of tubers varies hugely and it doesn’t always follow that the bigger the tuber, the bigger the flower.
They will also need protection from the frost and should be stored in a cool, airy place until you plant them.
Anyone who likes begonias should be scouring the garden centres now for new varieties.
When buying them make sure they feel firm, and scratch the skin of the tuber to reveal a fleshy pink or gold interior. If the inside is brown, the tuber is dead.
Begonias have received a bad press over the years, with images of garish, blousy flowers sitting in plastic containers in retirement homes. However, there are some amazing, unusual varieties, including B boliviensis, which looks more exotic than a traditional begonia. Its slender, fluted reddish orange flowers look great hanging from a compact bush and contrasting well with the medium green, serrated foliage.
You can fill a pot or hanging basket with just one plant, and they do best in humus-rich, freedraining soil in sun, or partial shade. Take them inside and store them in a frost-free place over the winter.
Sow seeds of B. boliviensis now, or wait for the pot-ready plants to become available from about April.
Lilies can be purchased in autumn, winter or early spring and should be kept cold until you plant them.
If you’re thinking about late summer, crocosmia Lucifer has been crowned 2010 Summer Bulb of the Year by industry professionals.
Crocosmia grow very upright and to a height of about one metre, producing clumps of dense iris-like foliage along bronze green arching stems.
One of the small flowering varieties, Lucifer is hardier than other crocosmia, making it the perfect flower for beginners and for gardens in cooler regions.
Elsewhere in the garden, it creates structure and a burst of bright colour when it flowers between June and the end of August.
Different bulbs need different soil types, but summer bulbs generally like a warm, sunny position. Freedraining soil is important as bulbs are susceptible to rotting.
Hardy summer bulbs and corms which don’t need lifting, such as alliums and crocosmia, are better off planted in the autumn, while more tender types such as gladioli, dahlias, cannas and callas, are started off in spring.
Growing tips from The Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society offers the following tips for successful bulb-growing in containers: For bulbs that are only going to spend one season in their container, use a mix of three parts multi-purpose compost with one part grit. For long-term container displays, use three parts John Innes No 2 compost mixed with one part grit.
Plant at three times their depth and one bulb width apart.
Water the bulbs regularly when in active growth, but you can reduce watering once the leaves start to die down and then through the dormant season. However, continue to check pots in winter, ensuring they do not dry out completely.
To promote good flowering next year, feed the bulbs every seven to 10 days with a high-potassium fertiliser, such as a liquid tomato feed. Begin feeding as soon as shoots appear, and stop feeding once the foliage starts to die down at the end of the season.
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