What Is Meant By Planting Bulbs ‘In The Green’?

Plant snowdrops, English bluebells and aconites just after flowering

Some bulbs, when planted dry, do not have a very good success rate. Planting them just after they have finished flowering, when they still have leaves, ensures an almost 100% success rate. They are usually sold either flowering planted in a pot or as bundles wrapped in paper; if they arrive wrapped in plastic take them out as soon as possible as they can rot. The potted bulbs can be planted at any-time as long as they are still ‘in the green’; the bundles, which won’t be in soil, need to be planted as soon as they have arrived, so make sure you have somewhere planned for them.

When they arrive in a bundle just gently tease them apart taking care not to damage the roots. Plant them to the depth they were originally; you can see where this is from the colour of the stem. The plants will benefit from the addition of compost or leaf mold to the planting hole & soil, if you are concerned about rot, add some coarse sand around the bulb area to improve drainage. If you already have clumps of these bulbs and they are producing fewer and fewer flowers carefully dig up the clump, separate the bulbs and re-plant.

The main bulbs planted ‘in the green’ are Winter Aconites, Snowdrops and English Bluebells.

Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite)

Bulb, perennial
Plant: autumn for dry bulbs; in the green in spring
Flower: February – March
Flower colour: yellow
Soil: any, well drained, humus rich
Where to plant: under deciduous trees or shrubs, front of herbaceous borders
How to plant: 5cm (2”) deep
Food and water: keep just damp; feed after flowering with a high potash fertiliser, such as tomato food as this will encourage formation of flowers for next year
Aspect: sun, partial shade
Hardiness: hardy
Height: 8cm (3”)
Tips: the sap can be an irritant

Winter Aconites (Eranthus hyemalis)

Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop)

Bulb, perennial
Plant: bulbs in autumn; in the green in spring
Flower: February – April
Flower colour: white with green markings
Soil: any, well drained, moisture retentive
Where to plant: under deciduous trees and shrubs, front of herbaceous border, containers, rockeries, naturalise in lawns
How to plant: 4 times own depth
Food and water: keep just damp; feed after flowering with a high potash fertiliser, such as tomato food as this will encourage formation of flowers for next year
Aspect: partial shade
Hardiness: hardy
Height: 15cm (6”)
Tips: some are honey scented; lots of varieties, some of them double

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (English Bluebells)

Bulb, perennial
Plant: bulbs in autumn; in the green in spring
Flower: April – May
Flower colour: blue
Soil: any, well drained, moisture retentive, humus rich
Where to plant: naturalised under deciduous trees
How to plant: 3- 4 times own depth
Food and water: keep just damp; feed after flowering with a high potash fertiliser, such as tomato food as this will encourage formation of flowers for next year
Aspect: partial shade
Hardiness: hardy
Height: 40cm (16”)
Tips: don’t plant Spanish bluebells as they are stronger than the English and hybridise with them so putting the English bluebell under threat