Planting Allium bulbs

Avoid planting Allium bulbs in cold, waterlogged soil, as the bulbs may rot.

Dig the soil over and clear away any weeds. To improve heavy soil, dig in leaf mould or compost, but don’t use manure, as this can affect the acidity level of the soil. Alliums do best in soil with a neutral pH.

Dig a hole around four times the depth of the bulb.

Place a bulb in the hole, roots facing downwards.

Fill in the hole and firm the soil gently.

You can also plant Alliums in deep pots filled with equal parts of John Innes No.3 compost, multipurpose compost and grit.

Tips on caring for Alliums

Alliums planted in the ground usually don’t need watering.

Alliums planted in pots will need regular watering in spring, but make sure the compost doesn’t become waterlogged, as this may cause the bulbs to rot.

Protect new spring leaves against slugs and snails with crushed eggshells around plants, copper tape around pots, beer traps or wildlife-friendly slug pellets.

Scatter a general-purpose fertiliser when the plants are flowering to help the bulbs develop, ensuring good flowers for the following year.

Remove the leaves once they have died back.

The dried flowerheads look good even after flowering is finished, so there’s no need to deadhead them unless you want to. They can be left to stand in the border as long as they last.

In winter, move pots to a sheltered spot with some protection from winter rain, such as a greenhouse or against the side of a house.