Planting Summer Bulbs
Whether in pots, in window boxes or in the ground, Summer bulbs bring a nice fresh touch to your garden. As they don't appreciate the Winter cold, their fleeting beauty must be protected.
The bulbs which adorn our gardens in Summer are fragile plants. As most of them come from sub-tropical regions (South Africa, South America) they suffer in the cold of our Winters. They are in fact fragile bulbs which don't appreciate the frost. They can only survive outdoors in regions with clement Winters.
Summer bulbs can be planted in the soil when its temperature reaches around 13°C. If the temperature is lower than this, the bulb may stagnate and rot. Summer bulbs like begonias and dahlias are generally planted beside other plants. They can be planted in a trench to produce a coloured embankment, or individually (with one or several small bulbs in the same hole).
Most Summer bulbs are planted close to the surface, at a depth of about 3 to 5 cms. (depending on the species) in order to fully benefit from the heat of the soil. The bulbs should be planted in their hole by simply pushing them down gently with the pointed part upwards. If you wish to plant the bulbs in window boxes or containers, it is essential that the drainage system is in working order. Summer bulbs don't like to be submerged in water.
The depth of the pot should be chosen according to the species to be planted. To avoid mishap, follow strictly the instructions of the producer . Start by filling the pot with a layer of earth of around 2.5cms. deep and place the bulb with the pointed side up. Then cover it with earth at the height recommended by the producer. Leave a few centimetres free on the surface in order ot allow for a layer of mulch in the eventuality of the first drop in temperature.
It is possible to plant several species of bulbs which flower one after the other or which flower simultaneously in the same window box. When the temperature starts to drop in Autumn, the window boxes should be taken indoors. The bulbs planted in the garden should be recuperated and cleaned and then stored away from the frost and the light.