insideKENT Magazine Issue 56 - November 2016 | Page 140

OUTDOORLIVING

YOUR GARDEN THIS MONTH:

november

TOP 10 JOBS THIS MONTH

PLANTING TULIP BULBS

1. Clear up fallen leaves – especially from lawns,
ponds and beds
2. Raise containers onto pot feet to prevent
waterlogging
3. Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display next year
4. Prune roses to prevent wind-rock
5. Plant out winter bedding
6. Cover brassicas with netting if pigeons are
a problem
7. Insulate outdoor containers from frost –
bubblewrap works well
8. Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees using
grease bands around the trunks
9. Put out bird food to encourage winter birds
into the garden
10. Use a seasonal bonfire – where this is allowed
– to dispose of excess debris unfit for
composting

Tulips are amongst the most popular of bulbs, valued for their brilliant flower colours and shapes.
Plant in autumn for a show of spring flowers.
Whether used in formal or informal beds and borders, tulips make ideal bedding plants combined
with annual or biennial planting. Tulips can also be useful for containers and some varieties can be
naturalised in grass. Tulips grow best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, sheltered from strong winds.
All dislike excessively wet conditions. Incorporate organic matter into the soil to improve both clay
and sandy soils making them much more suitable for tulips. Apply Growmore or chicken manure
pellets (70g per sq m or 2oz per sq yd) before planting to help nutrient-poor soils.
A neutral to alkaline soil is preferred. Soils with a pH lower than 6.5 may need applications of lime.
Use only healthy bulbs, discarding any that show signs of damage or mould
Plant at least twice the bulb’s width apart and at a depth of two or three times the bulbs height. Most
bedding type (i.e. not species) tulips are best replaced each year. If left in the ground they are unlikely
to re-flower after their first year.

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