Let it flower once and then throw it away? When it comes to flower bulbs, throwing them away is a waste. Unfortunate for them and for us. Because the potential is there to sprout anew every year and bloom magnificently. Give them this chance.
Non-hardy bulbs need to be dug up in the fall
Plan after flowering
After flowering is before flowering. Because as soon as the flowers wither, it's high time to start thinking about the coming gardening season. Should bulbous plants bloom again? And if so, where will the "new" flower bulbs come from?
Of course, you can buy and plant new flower bulbs in stores in autumn or spring. Old onions can also be reused. That saves a lot of money. The vast majority of varieties even offer a consistent flowering performance over the years.
recharge your batteries
If you have decided to reuse, the onions should recharge their batteries and gather nutrients before the winter. You can support them with:
- leave all the foliage on until it wilts
- meanwhile its nutrients are stored in the onion
- prevent energy-sapping seed formation
- Cut off faded flowers as soon as possible
- However, leave the stalks to dry
tips
Bulbous plants that you want to use again in the following year should be fertilized from spring to flowering to replenish the nutrient consumption.
Dig up flower bulbs
Flower bulbs that bloom in summer, such as begonias and dahlias, do not have their origin here, so they tolerate a little frost. If you leave them outside, they will become mushy and rot. To reuse them, you need to dig them up in the fall.
Spring bloomers are hardy and can stay outside. They are reused automatically, so to speak. But they can also be dug up if they are threatened with damage from voles, for example, or if they are to bloom in other places next year.
Flower bulbs that are in the pot can be overwintered in the basement together with the pot and soil. Spring bloomers alternatively also outside. But then the pot has to be covered with protective fleece.
Storing flower bulbs
Dug up flower bulbs must first be freed from soil residue and dried. They are then stored in a cool, dark and dry place. Store them in airy nets or wooden boxes.
When which flower bulb is planted again depends on the variety. Frost-sensitive summer bloomers, for example, are only allowed outside after the ice saints. However, they are allowed to leave their winter quarters weeks beforehand and move forward in the house.
tips
Sort out the damaged bulbs before storage so that the rot does not spread to healthy bulbs.