My Garden

Allium

Last post 06-07-2009 12:24 AM by hydropiper. 7 replies.

• 17/06/2009 05:41 PM
  sanji Location: esher Joined on: 17 Jun 2009 Posts: 2	Reply | Contact I planted my Allium plants and they flowered really well. After 4 weeks after the leaves were completely dead I dug out the bulbs and seperated them. I have  stored them in an airtight bag.   However , I read somewhere that Allium should be left in the ground like Daffodils. What should I do now? Should I replant the bulbs in the ground or wait till late summer?

• 17/06/2009 08:11 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,145	Reply | Contact  If you've only just taken them out, I would put them back in asap. sue1002

• 22/06/2009 08:41 PM	In reply to
  sanji Location: esher Joined on: 17 Jun 2009 Posts: 2	Reply | Contact What if it's been three weeks , Can I still replant them?

• 23/06/2009 08:49 AM	In reply to
  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,031	Reply | Contact Yes, yes indeed.   Boggy Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 27/06/2009 03:08 PM

  In reply to

  hydropiper Location: Cardiff Joined on: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 60

  Reply | Contact The leaves of Alliums often wither before the flower is fully developed but this is normal. So a lot of gardeners grow alliums through a carpet of ground cover plant to conceal the unsightly withered leaves. Like daffodils they can be left in the ground all year round, so long as the ground is free draining and not prone to waterlogging in winter.  It's perfectly okay to dig up the bulb and store it after the leaves and flower have died down. But do not wash the soil off the bulb with water as this will make it damp and simply make it more prone to mould developing during storage, so just brush any soil from the bulb. Also storing the bulbs in an airtight bag is a bad idea, as moisture cannot escape and the bulbs will go mouldy. Ideally they need to be stored in a dry, cool place where air can circulate around them, such as an orange net bag. You can then re-plant the bulbs during the autumn/early winter.  Chris

• 05/07/2009 11:08 AM	In reply to
  Weirdo's Location: Holywood, Co Down Joined on: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 1	Reply | Contact When the flowering is over and a seedhead is formed - Do you remove the seed head? Cut it back? or just let it wither? They look a bit unsightly at this stage

• 05/07/2009 12:15 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,923	Reply | Contact Allium seed heads can look really good when they dry out and if you leave them over winter they look good when frosted. Also leaving the seed heads on will encourage the plant to self sow and you'll get more plants.

• 06/07/2009 12:24 AM

  In reply to

  hydropiper Location: Cardiff Joined on: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 60

  Reply | Contact I agree with miranda. Don't dead head the alliums as their seedheads are just as pretty as the flowers, and provide winter interest. It won't weaken the bulb to let it make seeds, as it does with some bulbous plants like tulips. Although if you are lucky enough to get alliums self seeding in your garden, you will probably have to wait several years before the seedlings are large enough to flower. But that is gardening for you, it's always a waiting game. But that is part of the excitement I think.   Chris