If you want your garden to erupt in a riot of colour come spring, growing bulbs in winter should be part of your seasonal bulb planting plan.  

Yes, winter is when all the action happens below ground. Planting flowering bulbs during the cooler months is a sure way to guarantee a floral display that’ll be the envy of the neighbourhood when the seasons turn. 

Whether you’re a seasoned soil-sifter or just getting your green thumbs dirty, here’s our guide to helping you get it right.

Best bulbs to plant during autumn and winter

Most spring bulbs, such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and ranunculuses need a bit of a winter chill to wake up properly and flower later on. 

Aromatic freesias and sophisticated Dutch irises are also smart additions to your garden in May to prepare for a sensory show of colour come spring. 

Also consider anemones, sparaxis and tritonias for interesting shapes to add a striking accent to your spring garden beds.

Preparing soil for winter bulb planting

Before you prepare your soil, have a clear plan of how many bulbs you want to plant, and where. 

Plant your bulbs in a group formation of 12 – 15 bulbs, together, covering roughly half a square metre, rather than trying to stretch out the area by planting next to each other.

Choosing the perfect spot

Directly in the ground

Choose a spot in the garden for your cold-weather bulbs that gets plenty of winter sun and has well-draining soil. 

To help improve your garden’s soil quality and give your bulbs the best chance at success, explore these tips.

Container gardening

Raised beds or containers are also excellent options if your garden tends to hold water, or you’re short on space. Keep pots in a sunny, sheltered spot during winter, and don’t let them dry out completely. A little water here and there is all they ask for.

Use this guide to choose the right container for your garden. For the Gauteng gardeners, it’s worth adding water-retaining granules to your containers to slow down water loss during the dry winter months.

Fun tip for container bulb gardening: Try ‘bulb lasagne’ planting: layering early-, mid-, and late-season bulbs like tulips and daffodils for a prolonged show of colour.

Tips for preparing soil

• Prepare your garden beds or containers at least a week before planting your bulbs to give the fertiliser a chance to dissolve. If you skip this step, the fertiliser could burn the bulbs. 

• The best soil for flower bulbs is sandy loam. Bulbs hate soggy feet, so avoid clay-heavy spots, unless you’re willing to amend them with compost and a little sand to improve drainage. 

• Remove anything from the soil that could compete with your bulbs – this could be grass or weeds.

How to plant bulbs

1. Dig a hole 2 – 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall. For example, if bulbs are 5cm high, aim for a planting depth of 10 – 15cm.

2. Prepare the hole with a layer of compost or well-rotted manure.

3. Spacing them out according to the package instruction, plant bulbs pointy side up.

4. Finally, cover with enough soil, and water the bulbs well to help them settle.

Watering and feeding tips for bulbs during winter

Good bulb care in winter is easy, if you get the basics right. 

Make these tips for taking care of bulbs in colder weather part of your routine and you will be well on your way to beautiful flowering bulbs come spring.

Watering

As part of your winter bulb maintenance, correct and regular watering should be at the top of your bulb care to-do list.

Bulbs’ roots need to be kept continuously moist from the moment they are in the ground. In the Cape, provided winter rainfall is plentiful and consistent, this is an easy ask. For drier spells, especially those up country, bulbs need watering for approximately 45 minutes every 4 – 5 days.

A layer of mulch will help keep the soil temperature stable and discourage weeds from staging a winter takeover.

Feeding

A light feed with a balanced fertiliser once the shoots start popping up in early spring will give them a boost just when they need it. 

Avoid nitrogen-rich fertilisers, which can produce floppy foliage instead of flowers.

Introducing: the bulb and the beautiful

You’re all set! Now all that’s left to do is pick your favourite bulb varieties and get digging. 

If you ever feel uncertain on your gardening journey, rest assured that our friendly gardening experts at your nearest Stodels garden centre are on standby and happy to help. 

Alternatively, use our consultants-on-call service to book a session with a qualified horticulturalist and experienced nursery team for advice on the best plants and garden layout for your garden. Happy planting!