Lift and divide clumps of spring bulbs to keep them vigorous and full of flower – and to spread them around your garden to boost next year’s display!
Spring bulbs
You can lift and divide all clump-forming bulbs, from bluebells and daffodils to snowdrops. Most bulbs need lifting and dividing every three to four years: if your largest clumps put on a lacklustre display this spring, overcrowding is probably the cause.
Water the clump half an hour before you start, then lift the entire clump carefully with a fork, loosening the soil around it first to avoid piercing any outer bulbs. Break it apart with your hands into clusters of five to ten bulbs, discarding any which are too small or look diseased.
You can pot these up and pop them into a sheltered spot in the garden to wait till autumn planting; or simply replant straight away now. Prepare the ground thoroughly, removing any weeds and working in plenty of soil improver (you’ll find this at our garden centre here in Basingstoke). Then replant each clump of bulbs about 15-20cm apart, at the same depth as they were at before. Water them in, and they should bounce back to give you a revitalised display of colour from next spring onwards.