Monty Don has identified the garden job he describes as the "biggest and most important" for September and October. The horticultural expert prioritises incorporating grit into his compost mixture in preparation for planting his bulbs, maintaining that this is the period when gardeners ought to be preparing their bulbs for next spring.
Planting spring bulbs is the priority
On Gardeners' World, he said: "We're at that time of year when planting spring bulbs is the biggest and essential job for the rest of this month and throughout October. I try and get in all my spring bulbs both into the ground, into grass, into pots - except for tulips. So daffodils, irises, scillas, muscari. And some hyacinths."
Monty emphasises that drainage is crucial for all spring bulbs. He selected a container featuring a substantial drainage aperture at the base plus side drainage, choosing to line the bottom with a crock.
Drainage and planting depth tips
The specialist also issued a cautionary note for gardeners considering purchasing hyacinths for Christmas. This is due to them being naturally spring bulbs, which means forcing them to flower by December requires heat treatment.
Monty clarified that autumn represents an ideal window for bulb planting as the soil retains warmth. This allows the roots to begin developing before the winter months arrive. He previously explained: "And really, most bulbs are better planted in September, if you can get it done. It's not essential; you can plant in October, and tulips shouldn't be planted till November and December."
Room to grow and the right depth
Monty advises that bulbs should be planted with at least their own height of soil covering them, though ideally the soil above should be twice the height of the bulb. He planted his hyacinths six to a pot, as they require "room to grow".
The bulbs were finished with a layer of grit to prevent the compost from "capping" — getting a crust mixed of hard and soft compost. Monty has previously recommended using a planter in the ground to help get bulbs to the right depths.
He said: "A good bulb planter, if you're planting any amount of bulbs, will be worth its weight in gold and will last for years and years because the important thing with bulbs is you do need to plant them at the right depth."
