How To Grow Spring Flowering Bulbs

Spring flowering bulbs are a season favourite because they burst into bloom right as the warmer weather arrives. Many of the spring flowering bulbs begin during Winter, they are a precursor to upcoming warmer weather, reminding us that Spring is not too far away.

Their wide range of colours and varieties make them gorgeous to look at in a garden bed, while still being relatively easy to grow regardless of a gardener’s skill level. With some basic care, you too could have a beautiful garden that’s packed with colour.

The experts at Garden Express are here to share everything you need to know about planting and growing spring flowering bulbs.

Which Spring Flowering Bulbs Should You Buy?

There are a number of spring flowering bulbs available for planting in your garden, so it can be difficult to know which ones will be right for your home. This list of spring bulbs highlights Australia’s most popular varieties.

Tulips

Tulips are some of the most popular spring flowering bulbs. They are known for their wide range of colours, simple elegance and low-maintenance growing. Tulips are a great place to start if you’re interested in beginning a new bulb flower bed. 

Daffodils

Daffodils are one of the more famous flowers in the world, with their distinctive yellow colouring and wide-open blooms. They don’t require much work to maintain and, if you’re lucky, will produce flowers for many, many years.

Jonquils

Available in miniature, single and double varieties, jonquils grow earlier than many other spring flowering bulbs. They bring the first pop of colour to your garden, letting you know that the colder season is almost over. They’re also notable for their delightfully strong fragrance. 

Freesias

Freesias are a beautifully vibrant bulb variety. They are one of the less-fussy bulbs as they will take to almost any soil and will keep your garden looking lovely even in the hardest conditions. This makes them a fantastic first bulb to try your hand at growing.

Freesia Blue White Blend

How to care for spring bulbs

Climatic Zones

Cool to temperate (possible, but more difficult in warmer environments).

Plant Size

Up to 40cm tall

When to Plant?

Planting in April–May will give you the best results (you can also plant as early as March if your environment is particularly cold).

In hotter climates, chilling your bulbs in the fridge for 4–6 weeks before planting will give them the boost they need to successfully grow.

Soil Preparation

Spring bulbs care about the quality of their soil, generally preferring freely draining soil that doesn’t get too damp. If your soil is too soggy, you may need to raise your garden bed or use a ceramic pot with mulch so they don’t experience rot.

Bulbs come with a flower already grown inside them, so they won’t require much fertilisation on planting. 

How to Plant

Plant your spring bulbs in full sun or light shade. The warmer your climate, the more shade your bulb will be able to tolerate.

Plant them about twice as deep as the bulb will be tall (eg. 10cm deep for a 5cm tall bulb) and give each bulb roughly the same distance (eg. 5cm) of space away from other plants.

Bulbs look best clumped together in a natural formation, rather than in defined rows. For a natural look, you can try tossing all of your bulbs into the air and planting them where they land on your garden bed.

Tulip Royal Virgin – Pre-Order – Garden Express Australia

Plant Care

Spring flowering bulbs like to be dry while they are dormant, and moist once they have started to grow. As soon as you see green shoots start to appear, begin lightly watering them and then stop as soon as the leaves of the flower turn yellow after the flowering season. 

Once the bulb has started to sprout, a small amount of fertiliser can also help promote its growth and result in a stronger flower.

Allow your bulb to die naturally without removing any of its dying leaves. This will allow the plant to reabsorb the nutrients it needs in order to grow next year’s flower.

If you’d like to try your hand at growing spring flowering bulbs, the team at Garden Express are available to help. The team offer expert advice and a wide range of the best flowers and gardening supplies in Australia. Get in touch today on 1300 606 242, or fill in our online contact form.