Growing Guides:
How to Grow Allium bulbs
Alliums are hardy, easy to grow and hugely rewarding. Even once their flowering season has ended, they remain attractive and sculptural additions to the garden for weeks afterwards. Allium bulbs need to be planted in Autumn, they are definite winter growers. Allium bulbs require a sunny position in well-drained soil. Many varieties of allium bulbs naturalise and multiply and can be left untouched in the same area for years.
Planting Allium bulbs:
Follow our simple step-by-step guide to planting Allium bulbs:
- Allium bulbs are planted In Autumn, before the ground freezes. Pick a sunny spot with good drainage
- Dig a hole around 15cm deep for large allium bulbs and around 10cm for smaller allium bulbs (there is a general rule when planting bulbs and that is to give the bulbs at least 2 times their height of soil above them), drop the bulb in, and cover with soil. Make sure you place the bulb the right way up, Allium bulbs look rather like a little onion with a slightly pointy head and sometimes have wiry roots growing out of the underside. Plant with the pointy head / spike pointing up.
- Leave approximately 8cm between each bulb. If you are planting in containers, you can cluster them a little closer together.
- After planting, water well so that the soil above the bulbs settles.
- Allium bulbs will flower in Spring. After blooming let the plant rest for a period. The leaves will die back, and you can decide whether to tidy the plant up and remove the old leaves or just let nature take its course.
