Spring bulb planting times advice needed

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

Last autumn l planted loads of bulbs. There’s one area that had loads of plants and l couldn’t get to it. I knew it needed doing. I’ve watched it all year, and it was only really clear enough to plant in Feb/March.

There’s now loads of space that could have bulbs in it. Could l plant them now for next spring?

One way of doing it (thought not cheap) is to buy planted bulbs at a supermarket. You get to enjoy the bulbs indoors til they're finished then can plant outside. Eg pot of 3/4 tête-à-tête from Sainsbury's is £1.50 this week.
Has worked very well for me and it also has the advantage of you knowing exactly where they are. The following year they come up as normal

Aaah good idea...!

That’s what I would do too. M&S, Dobbies, local garden centre will have bulbs in the green now. In fact snowdrops and blue bells are better bought that way. Buy some now and the rest as bulbs September/October to plant for next year. Buy a dribbler with Mark’s on to the correct depth much easier than trying to remember and estimate. I think I bought mine from the NT.

Came on to say the same thing. In fact if you wait a couple of weeks you'll see fading or gone over bulbs in bloom that are really cheap and reduced. Plant them now and they'll be great next year.

Also if you have any large clumps of daffs or other spring bulbs, dig them up now and divide them and plant some where you want them to go.

Also,take a photo of the bare spot now and in bulb planting time use that photo to remind you where the bare spots are in spring. And wheedle some bulbs in among the foliage.

Also,take a photo of the bare spot now and in bulb planting time use that photo to remind you where the bare spots are in spring. And wheedle some bulbs in among the foliage

Really good point! I'm looking at bare patches right now and planning which bulbs to plant in the autumn
Which I'll probably forget all about

What would happen if l just planted some bulbs in it now?

I’m not sure you’ll find spring bulbs to plant now, it’s bulbs in the green.

But if l could when would they grow?

M&S doorway had some bulbs that are for planting now (it said) for summer flowering - peonies etc ...have I understood that correctly?
I was surprised to see - I thought I’d missed the autumn planting boat!!! Might be helpful for you OP depending upon exactly what you want to plant/when you want it to flower.

I want spring bulbs for next spring that l can plant now.

I don't think you'd be able to buy spring bulbs now, unless like PP have said they're already planted in pots and growing.

Even if you find them it's the wrong time of year to plant them.

But if l did find some and planted them when would they come up?

Ebay have loads

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-DWARF-DAFFODIL-NARCISSUS-MIX-GARDEN-BULB-AUTUMN-GROWING-SPRING-FLOWERING-CORM-/400761063523?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

I planted a peony (Bowl of Beauty) 10-14 days ago, @Lisyloo725, and it's growing like the clappers. It's got 5 stems poking through, the biggest one is already showing a leaf that's starting to unfurl and it's now about 3" tall.

I'm in the south, so it's possibly a bit warmer here than in some places. That may compensate slightly for the fact that I don't really have a clue what I'm doing.

Hahah @LakieLady - great to hear! We are also dawwn saaaf so perhaps I’ll give the bulbs a go!
Thank you!

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I want spring bulbs for next spring that l can plant now.

Spring bulbs are bulbs that grow in the spring and die down to become dormant during summer and into autumn. So the only way in which you’ll find dormant spring bulbs now is if you bought them last year and didn’t get round to planting them. In which case they’re better off planting now. They may or may not do ok this year on the basis of the stored energy in the bulb. Next year’s performance depends on how good a growing season they get this year, then after that they should be ok

... or if someone is selling off old stock on eBay

@Lisyloo725

M&S doorway had some bulbs that are for planting now (it said) for summer flowering - peonies etc ...have I understood that correctly? I was surprised to see - I thought I’d missed the autumn planting boat!!! Might be helpful for you OP depending upon exactly what you want to plant/when you want it to flower.

Paeonies are rhizomes (modified roots) rather than bulbs I think. But there are a lot of summer and autumn flowering bulbs and corms, lots of the alliums, ixia, spar axis, the hated montbretia, autumn crocus, etc

Someone is selling spring bulbs on eBay on offer. Like this.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spring-Bulb-Clearance-/133597933799?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Is this what you mean. Could l plant them now and they would come up next spring?

You aren't losing much money if you give it a go. It's not the optimum time of year to buy them but plant them, bit of feed, and they may well come up next year.

But alternatively you could wait till late summer and buy bulbs that have had their full growing season outside rather than sitting around in bags from November to March and missing out half their season.