How to Grow Allium Bulbs

If you’re particularly drawn to vibrant flower plants with unique shapes, Fothergill’s collection of allium bulbs belongs in your garden! Recognised for their tall stems and bold, ornamental blooms, these striking flowers are surprisingly easy to grow and favoured by newcomer gardeners! Looking just as good in vases as they do in your flower beds, these flowers are plants that you’ll no doubt be proud to show off to anyone visiting your home!

Here at Fothergill’s, we’re breaking down how to grow allium and get a brand new layer of colour introduced to your garden. We’ll be discussing when to plant allium, how to care for your plants, and more, to make growing these flower bulbs as straightforward and accessible as possible for you and your entire family. 

Creating solid foundations for growth is vital for helping any plant thrive, so let’s start with our soil. Allium bulbs grow best in fertile, well-draining soil in a sunny spot in your garden. Ideally, they should be planted in a sheltered location to protect their tall stems from strong winds. As for feeds, we’d recommend avoiding manure as it is typically too rich in nutrients for alliums.

Your job doesn’t end when your allium bulbs are in the ground. Let’s get into some of our plant care tips for you to divvy up with the family to make sure you get the best results from your plants. 

Watering

Let’s start with the obvious: watering. You’ll be interested to hear that alliums are typically drought-tolerant plants, meaning that they don’t require watering once established. In fact, too much moisture can actually lead alliums to rot - so it’s essential to make sure that your soil doesn’t become waterlogged.

Feeding

Alliums also don’t ask for much in terms of feeding. If you’re dealing with particularly poor soil, feel free to use some fertiliser, but otherwise you won’t need to worry too much about feeding your plants!

Deadheading

The dried heads of alliums actually have an ornamental look and don’t require deadheading. If you aren’t keen on their dried look, you can cut the heads at the base. 

Staking

Alliums are known for their strong stalks. If you took our advice and planted your bulbs nice and deep in a sheltered area, your alliums won’t need staking. 

Pests

Be weary of pests like the onion fly - they’re particularly fond of eating the plant’s roots, often causing plants to die. If you come across any maggots, we’d recommend digging up the bulb as soon as possible.

Your job doesn’t end when your allium bulbs are in the ground. Let’s get into some of our plant care tips for you to divvy up with the family to make sure you get the best results from your plants. 

Now that you’ve got a better idea of when to plant allium bulbs and how to grow alliums, it’s time to get you started on your growing journey! At Fothergill’s, we’re keen to make gardening as accessible as possible - there’s just too much fun to be had to leave it to the experts!

Our collection boasts plenty of quality allium bulbs, garden tools and garden accessories, to make your growing experience simple and straightforward. If you’ve got any more questions about our bulbs, seeds, and plants, or need even more growing advice, contact us or take a look at our gardening blog for more information.