GREEN FINGERED

Gardening god Monty Don reveals the gardening job that you mustn’t do and need to leave for June

SPRING is finally here and many of our gardens will finally be alive with spring bulbs.

However, when it comes to spring bulbs, gardening whizz Monty Don has shared the job that gardeners should definitely "not" be doing this month.

Advertisement
to share a task you should avoid in March.

According to the expert, you must not touch spring bulbs growing in the garden.

Planting bulbs are ideal for any garden, as this will mean plants are flowering all year round.

But when it comes to spring bulbs in March, Monty urged against giving plants a trim or tidy up. 

Advertisement

He advised: “Do not cut back, tie or tidy the leaves of any bulbs.

"Let them die back naturally as next year’s flower is being created by the photosynthesis of the foliage. 

“Leave them until the last trace of green has gone - which will be at least June.

"Then tidy them or cut back.”

Advertisement

Most read in Fabulous

WHICH DO YOU KNEAD?
I tested 6 bread mixers to see which makes perfect dough - one is dream
MYSTIC MEG
A work time challenge may be daunting, but relax into it
TIME OUT
Looking after kids is so stressful, I take extra intensive care shifts to escape
TALL ORDER
My girlfriend is hotter than me, trolls say she’s a gold-digger, but I never pay

According to you should wait at least six weeks after the end of flowering before cutting back bulb plants.

Gardeners should cut back the dead foliage, and ideally, only remove them when they are yellow and straw-like.

Until the foliage has this appearance, gardeners should continue to water the bulbs and feed them as normal.

However, if you did want to get out and about in your garden, the easiest spring plants to grow are daffodils and tulips. 

Advertisement

Daffodils grow best in a free-draining area, away from total shade and south-facing walls.

Gardeners should take care to plant daffodils at twice the depth of the bulb - between four and six inches deep - and between four and eight inches apart.

When it comes to tulips, they are best planted between October and November.

They will then flower from March to May.

Advertisement

They prefer full sun and should be planted at least twice the bulb’s width apart - at a depth of two or three times the bulb’s height.

Most tulips are best replaced each year, as they are unlikely to reflower after one year. 

Topics
Advertisement
machibet777.com