can I still plant spring/summer bulbs???

Brie

Ever the optimist I bought a few packs of bulbs last autumn in anticipation of my gardener being able to get them in so I'd have a great display this spring/summer. Gardener didn't show, made excuses, suggested inconvenient times to come and then didn't show and so on. So no bulbs were planted and my lawn hasn't been mowed since I don't know when. Maybe last July (granted it was too dry to grow until late in the autumn…)

So as I said I've got these bulbs - iris and alliums. I know it's too late now for iris to flower but they might send up some greenery. My other alliums (elephant garlic I think) are growing but not flowering yet. Is there any reason I shouldn't plant to them? Sitting in a baking hot greenhouse waiting for the autumn isn't going to improve them much.

Farway

No reason not to get them in, unless you have to pay someone to do come it of course.

As said many a time, they have tow choices, grow or die, most plants will grow, maybe not A1 but at least something passable.

Plus both are perennials, so with luck 2027 will be excellent

Brie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980172#Comment_81980172

Yes I'm paying someone as my knees don't allow me to get down into the dirt the way I used to! But the chap is weeding the exact spot I want the alliums to go so it's basically 2 jobs getting done at the same time.

Very pleased so far with this new gardener. He's pleasant but has said that he doesn't like people to let him work and then 5 minutes towards the end of the booked time ask him to do another 15 things. Quite understandable. So I told him at the beginning almost everything that was needed (lawn mowed and one border weeded and plants chucked in). Forgot to mention the 2 climbers I wanted to be put in either end but that should be ok. Having had a chance to see the extent of what's needed he's suggested that he see what additional space he has available and try to come back for at least another hour in the next few days. Which is fine by me. He's not a really great communicator so I'll nicely ask that he message me everything so I can keep my head organised. For instance he said he charged £30 an hour. Now there's him and his helper so I'm assuming that's each. More expensive than my last gardener but he takes away all the cuttings which is helpful. I know I could get some local teen to weed things for me for a fraction of the price but frankly I can't be asked to deal with that and having to supervise and point out what's a weed and what's not. (not that I always know).

I'm looking forward to looking at the nice tidy garden this evening!!

Farway

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980217#Comment_81980217

Hope it works for you, and the gardener experiences, because I'm getting to the stage where I may need to get some paid help in but postponing it as long as I can manage bits like weed tugging and mild watering

Brie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980228#Comment_81980228

I still manage to tug an occasional weed (all that bindweed!!!) and watering isn't a fuss. I can do some planting into the various pots as I can sit on a low stool for that. Meanwhile they've finished for the day and left things in a much better state than it was previously. Which is nice.

twopenny

Could you plant them in pots for the time being?

I have pots of bulbs that I put out in late winter, Spring and then let them dry out at the back of the garden.

Otherwise I've stored bulbs in the dark, not warm and they are fine for a year, sometimes two.

Dizzycap

@ Brie - It's never too late to plant bulbs, they'll just bloom at a later / different time. If I find a spare bag of bulbs in the shed or get given them at anytime except during Winter, I shove them in the garden or usually a pot somewhere; even if other things are already growing in it, as soon as I'm able to 😂🤣. The best bit is when I forget I've planted them and up they pop 🤗. I do love a planting surprise 🤩😍 and it happens every year 🤗.

As a side note, I've found that if I wait to plant bulbs for more than 2 months, even with appropriate storage and airing, they can turn off or go to pulp; which is such a waste, so I don't waste time in planting them in something, even a recycled plastic marg tub with handmade holes for drainage, just to get them settled somewhere 😉.

-taff

I'm with the stick them n and see what happens…always :) I did the same with a pack of tulips, there were six, they all went in a pot, two came up, the rest are blind but I'll put them somewhere permanent for next year and hope they all flower.

Farway, you could try WeWeed to find a gardener

Farway

Taff Farway, you could try WeWeed to find a gardener

Ta, I'll have a look, it's not critical just yet, and OT but young lady on FB was volunteering to help in exchange for chance to learn about gardening, I'm waiting the hear back, but understandably she may be wary about going to some unknown old geezers house, so I won't be too surprised if it's a No

PS, just spotted WeWeed is female, I have dangly bits and a beard, but these days I suppose I could just identify as a Laydee 👿😁