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How to plant bulbs

The Bulb Planter

Q&A about the best bulb planting tool for your garden.

Planting bulbs can be a laborious task at best, and having the right bulb planting tool can help in the process. But with a handful of different tools on the market, how do you pick the right tool for you? Well, it depends. Bulb planting can consists of different seasons, different bulbs and different soil types. Whether you are a spring bulb planter, or a fall bulb planter, whether you are a tulip bulb planter, or planting any broad variety of bulbs, one size may not fit all. Here is a quick overview of all the bulb planters, strengths and weaknesses, and when to use them.

The Dibber (Or Dibbler)

The Dibber (Or Dibbler)

Ah, the good ol' dibbler. If you are interested in the history of the dibbler as a bulb planting tool, you can read an article here: Dibbler Bulb Planting Tool. Essentially this tool has been used for planting bulbs and seeds for centuries. The modern day dibble for bulbs is hand turned of a hardwood (maple is the best), and has a thick lower body for a larger hole for the bulb to drop. It has a handle, and measurement marcks so you can plant your bulbs at the right depth. The flat tips helps for soil contact for the bulb. Our handheld bulb planting tool, Dibbler, is made for loose soil, and provides a great way to plant both fall and spring bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus and much more.

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The Auger

The Auger

I guess I am a traditionalist in the garden, but taking a drill with this on the end of it...well, seems a bit excessive. Some folks swear by this tool for planting bulbs in the garden. I have never used one, but I would think it would get heavy during planting more than a handful of bulbs, especially in harder soil.

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Metal Bulb Planter (Scooper)

Metal Bulb Planter (Scooper)

This metal bulb digging tool essentially takes a quick twist, and extracts a soil plug and leaves a hole for planting your bulb. It works well, but you have to shake out the soil typically, and it is hard to get into packed soil. It can be useful, as you can usually put the hative soil right back into the hole once the bulb is planted. Beware of these, they are usually made of cheap metal and bend easily. If you can find a good solid one, it will last you.

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