All Good Things Begin With Dirt
“To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Colchicums have just come into flower in my garden, a sure sign that we need to get ready for bulb planting. This should be approached as a marathon rather than a sprint.
Work out your planting order. Apart from some of the smaller woodland bulbs, most bulbs are sent in nets, which makes them easy to store somewhere cool and dry. As with life, preparation will make the job easier. Some light digging and the addition of any organic matter you need can be spread over the next few weeks. This will loosen the soil, allow more air into it and make planting straight forward.
By tradition, this is the week when we send our checklist of materials you may need for this autumn’s planting. Rather than focusing on the best compost recipe, here is what you need to keep in the shed. These will give you the ingredients for a good mix, whatever bulbs or plants you are potting.
- Bulb fibre, which has a more open structure and drains more freely than general purpose compost
- Nutrient enriched topsoil
- General purpose compost
- Horticultural grit, especially if you garden on heavy clay
- Sharp sand
- Perlite to improve drainage and aeration
Most bulbs like soil that drains freely but still holds moisture, with a loose, crumbly texture. A good root system is what we are striving for, as the bulbs will draw on plenty of water in spring.
Whenever you use compost, make sure it is suitably damp. It is exceedingly difficult to add sufficient moisture once the bulbs have been planted. There should be enough moisture for the compost to bind when tightly squeezed. If you are buying compost, choose a soil based mix such as John Innes No. 2.
Planting in the border follows much the same rules. If you need to add organic matter, lightly fork in some mature compost from your heap and, if you can, leave it for a few weeks before planting. This is better than placing fresh mulch over your newly planted bulbs.