Bulbs Won't Sprout?

Q: My garden is wet all the year round and it is clay, so of all the bulbs I planted last year, none of them sprouted. Does anyone have any ideas?

Jon-UK

A: Jon,

The ideal growing conditions for bulbs calls for soil with good drainage. Mixing in some compost and a little coarse sand or gravel will help improve you soil's drainage. Don't use too much sand, though, or you will create even more compact soil conditions. Because you say your garden is wet all year round, you might want to consider creating raised beds for next year's bulbs. I have also planted bulbs in large, deep pots and left them outdoors over winter (mulching them heavily) to get around poor soil conditions. If you suspect your bulbs didn't sprout due to poor drainage, dig one or two of them up to confirm your suspicions. If they are soft and mushy, poor drainage is the culprit. If they look fine, consider one of the following:

1. Damaged or missing bulbs could indicate rodents or grub worms.
2. Many spring bulbs need a period of chilling before they will flower. Most also require full exposure to sun to emerge.
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3. Bulbs were planted too deeply and are taking longer to emerge.
4. Bulbs were not planted deep enough and have suffered cold damage.
5. Bulbs were stored improperly before you bought them (dried out) and are no longer viable (especially common to Tulips).