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smoo

By Smoo

South Lincolnshire, United Kingdom Gb

I'm planning on re-seeding my lawn this autumn but i'd quite like to throw some crocus bulbs in it for some early spring cheer. Is it ok to plant the bulbs before sowing or would it be better to plant them once the lawn is established next year? Many thanks :)




Answers

 

You can put them in once the seedbed is prepared and ready for you to sprinkle the seed - plant and then put the soil back, level. I would warn you though, every time I've put crocus in lawns, they've never grown, although I suspect the culprits might be squirrels - they seem to dig them up and eat them in the borders, never mind the lawn.

1 Aug, 2011

 

I've given up on trying to grow crocuses too, Bamboo. Some blasted critter just comes and digs them up, every night.

1 Aug, 2011

 

Oh dear :S
I don't think there are any squirrels around my area, just a lot of pigeons! Thanks for the replies, I'll give it a go anyway, no harm in trying! :D

1 Aug, 2011

 

Just to add a happier note - a friend did this with great results ( no squirrels) but, the leaves don't die back early enough to get the grass cut in spring and it does therefore look very untidy for a time. The colours all went back to purple after a couple of years, too. Or maybe it was just the purple ones that survived.

1 Aug, 2011

 

Thanks Ojibway! That's good to hear :) I'm not to fussed about cutting the grass back in spring, im going for a wildlife friendly garden so parts of it have got to be a bit messy i suppose! :D

I'll post some pics if all turns out well! :)

1 Aug, 2011

 

I put 40 crocus bulbs in my lawn last autum, 20 purple, 20 yellow. In total I got 14 yellow and 6 purple! I'll see how many I get this spring. They do seem to take a long time to die back and I ended up cutting the tops of with shears before mowing, so the mow wouldn't pull 'em out.

1 Aug, 2011

 

Perhaps you could plant them in groups so that you could mow between them. They would look better that way than just scattered about too. Our local council once planted a lot of crocus at the edge of a playing field. They were beautiful the first spring. Then the idiots mowed too soon and that was the end of them- what a waste!

1 Aug, 2011

 

Steragram - that's a good idea, thanks. I was wondering on how to plant them, i was thinking of doing the "drop from waist height and plant where they land" technique. I think groups would look lovely though.
My lawn won't be that big so i doubt ill be able to get a mower between groups but i can always trim the grass with shears or something to keep it from looking too straggly, thanks! :D

2 Aug, 2011

 

:))
S

2 Aug, 2011

How do I say thanks?

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