Bulb Planting Guide
When to plant and how to plant bulbs in the UK.
| Best month for planting | Depth of top of bulb below surface (inches) | Distance apart (inches) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allium | Oct | 4 | 4 |
| Anemone fulgens | Oct | 2 | 5 |
| Anemone (St Brigid) | Oct
or early spring |
2 | 5 |
| Anthericum | Oct | 4 | 6 |
| Belladonna Lily | Aug | 6 | 6 |
| Bluebells | Aug | 6 | 3 to 4 |
| Bulbocodium | Aug | 4 | 4 |
| Camassia | Oct | 4 | 4 |
| Chionodoxa | Aug | 3 | 3 |
| Colchicum | Aug | 4 | 3 to 6 |
| Crinum | Oct | 6 | 18 |
| Crocus (spring) | Oct | 2 to 3 | 3 |
| Crocus (autumn) | July | 2 to 3 | 5 |
| Daffodils | Sept/Oct | 4 to 6 | 6 |
| Erythronium | Aug | 4 | 3 |
| Fritillaria | July/August | 4 | 6 to 9 |
| Galtonia | Nov | 6 | 9 |
| Gladiolus | April | 4 | 9 |
| Gladiolus (colvillei type) | Nov | 4 | 9 |
| Hyacinths | Oct | 4 | 7 |
| Iris (English) | Sept | 5 | 3 to 6 |
| Iris (Spanish) | Sept | 4 | 4 |
| Iris (reticulata) | Sept | 4 | 3 |
| Ixia | Sept | 3 | 4 |
| Leucojum | Aug | 3 | 4 |
| Lilium auratum | Oct | 4 to 6 | 12 |
| L candidum | Aug | 2 | 12 |
| L bulbiferum | Oct | 4 to 6 | 12 |
| L henryi | Oct | 4 to 6 | 12 |
| L pardalinum | Oct | 4 | 12 |
| L speciosum | Oct | 4 to 6 | 12 |
| L tigrinum | Oct | 4 to 6 | 12 |
| Lily of the Valley | Nov | 2 | 4 |
| Montbretia | March | 3 | 6 |
| Muscari | Oct | 3 | 3 |
| Ornithogalum | Oct | 4 | 4 |
| Scilla sibirice | Aug | 3 | 3 |
| Snowdrops | Aug | 3 to 4 | 3 |
| Stembergia | July | 3 | 4 |
| Tigridia | April | 4 | 4 |
| Trillium | Oct | 3 | 4 |
| Tritonia | March | 4 | 4 |
| Tulips (long stem) | Nov | 5 | 9 |
| Tulips (short stem) | Nov | 4 | 6 |
| Winter Aconite | Aug | 2 to 3 | 3 to 4 |