NOW that summer is well and truly behind us, you may think that it is time to hang up your gardening gloves for the year.
But even with frosty mornings and snow on the way, there’s still a crucial job that needs done in November.
Monty Don has insisted that planting tulips is the “most important job” to do this month and will ensure your garden blooms all spring long.
Writing in his blog, The Gardener’s World presenter said: “November it is tulip-planting time.
“This is, to my mind, the most important and best job of the month.
“It is actually something that can be done at any time between now and Christmas although the earlier they get into the ground the earlier they will flower.”
When planting tulips in flower beds, Monty recommended ensuring that they have good drainage, to give them the chance to return next year.
He said: “The essential thing with all tulips is to make sure that they have good drainage.
“This matters less if they are to be treated as annuals and dug up after they have flowered but even so they will be happier with plenty of grit or sand added to heavy soil.”
His tips come after a novice gardener took to a gardening group to ask: “Is it too late to plant tulip bulbs? If not… is it best to plant them in pots or direct in ground? Will be my first time planting bulbs.”
And her question unearthed an important rule when it comes to planting tulips.
Ignoring it could lead to a disappointing spring bloom, or none at all if a common garden pest is involved.
Replying to the planting question, one gardening fan said: “Just remember to plant them three times as deep as the bulb otherwise you may get a lot of leaves and not many flowers.”
Meanwhile, a second wrote: “Take into account squirrels love them, prefer tulips to any other bulbs, so better plant a bit deeper in the ground (pots are too easy for them to dig.)”
Gardening guru Monty also insists that you should plant tulip bulbs in flower beds “as deep as you can”.
He added: “I often use a crowbar to make a hole 12 inches or more deep – and the deeper they are the stronger and straighter the stem will be.”
But if you are determined to use a pot, there are other steps you can take to protect your tulips.
“I plant mine in pots and cover with strawberry netting”, suggested one green-fingered social media user.
And a second echoed: “I put mine in tubs and put brambles and holly and wire in top as we have lots of squirrels and bulbs aren’t cheap.”
Chiming in with his own potted tulip tip, Monty said: “If you are growing them in a container then drainage is easier and they do not have to be so deep.
“They can also be planted in layers – a tulip lasagne, with an earlier variety such as ‘Orange Emperor’ planted deepest that will flower first, followed by a mid-season variety like ‘Negrita’ planted above it and then finally, in the top layer a late-season one such as ‘Queen of Night’.”
