Planting bulbs in a lawn using a bulb planter is a fairly straightforward process that can add a pop of color and beauty to your outdoor space. Here are the steps to do so:
- Choose your bulbs: Select the type of bulbs you'd like to plant based on your preference and the climate you live in. Common options include tulips, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths.
- Prepare the lawn: Clear the area where you want to plant the bulbs of any weeds, rocks, or debris. Use a rake to level the soil and provide a smooth surface for planting.
- Mark the planting spots: Decide where you want to place each bulb and use small markers, like sticks or flags, to mark those spots. This will help you avoid accidentally planting bulbs in the same spot or missing any areas.
- Dig holes with a bulb planter: Using a bulb planter, insert the tool into the ground at each marked spot. Press the planter into the grass, then twist it slightly and pull up to remove a section of soil. The depth should match the recommended planting depth for the specific bulb variety.
- Place the bulbs: Place one bulb in each hole, making sure the pointed end is facing upwards. Gently lower it into the hole, ensuring it is planted at the proper depth. Repeat this process for the remaining holes.
- Fill the holes and cover bulbs: After placing a bulb in a hole, use the bulb planter or your hands to fill the hole with soil. Pack the soil gently to avoid air pockets. Once all the bulbs are planted, lightly cover the area with topsoil or replace the removed grass if desired.
- Water and care for the bulbs: After planting, give the bulbs a thorough watering to settle the soil and initiate growth. Make sure the soil remains slightly moist throughout the bulb's active growth period. Follow specific care instructions for the bulb variety you have planted, such as fertilizing and regular maintenance.
- Let the foliage die back naturally: Allow the bulbs' foliage to die back naturally after flowering. Avoid cutting or mowing the lawn until the foliage has turned yellow or brown, as this period allows the bulb to store energy for future growth.
By following these steps, you can successfully plant bulbs in your lawn using a bulb planter, resulting in vibrant blooms for seasons to come.
Best Bulb Planters of 2024
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Rating is 5 out of 5
Garden Weasel Bulb Planter 91350 - Multi-Purpose Bulb Planter Tool for Tulip Bulbs - Seed Planter Tool - Grass Plugger Tool - Weather and Rust Resistant - Carbon Steel
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MULTI-PURPOSE TOOL: Get ready for the season and easily plant spring and fall bulbs, annuals, ground cover, and vegetables. The stand and plant tool digs the perfect size hole and gives you the correct planting depth every time.
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EASY TO USE: With a long handle, there's no need to bend or stoop, reducing overall fatigue. Step on the footplate, press the blade into the ground, remove soil, add the bulbs for planting, release the dirt back into the hole and tamp down.
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POINTED BLADE: The sharp blade and pointed tip construction allow the ground digger hand tool to quickly and effortlessly enter and lift the soil out of the earth. It enables you to plant in half the time of standard spade digging.
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DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: This convenient and sturdy seedling planter is fabricated from carbon steel and is rust and water-resistant. It has a comfortable non-slip T-bar grip, weighs less than 3 lbs, comes fully assembled, and is 40" long.
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GARDEN WEASEL: Specializing in professional-grade, ergonomically designed, multi-use garden tools. Our products make gardening by hand easier than ever. Garden Weasel tools are so tough that they are backed with a lifetime limited warranty.
2
Rating is 4.9 out of 5
ProPlugger 5-in-1 Lawn and Garden Tool, Bulb Planter, Weeder or Weeding Tool, Sod Plugger, Annual Planter, Soil Test Probe
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WATCH OUR VIDEO - Click the video to see the ProPlugger in action.
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PLANT LIKE A PRO – Step, twist, pull and you’re ready to plant. Dig 2-1/8” diameter planting holes quickly, one after another, from a comfortable standing position. Soil gets stored in the tool as you work and empties by turning the tool upside down. Depth Rings (included) allow you to consistently dig perfect planting holes at 2", 4" and when no depth ring is used, even 6" deep. *Avoid digging in dry or overly saturated soil.
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MULTI-USE GARDEN TOOL – Plant your garden favorites! Spring and fall bulbs, annuals, ground covers, vegetables and more. Makes a great lawn and sod plugger (Not Recommended For St. Augustine Grass), weeding tool, soil sample tool and drip-edge fertilizing tool.
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TAKE THE PAIN OUT OF PLANTING – The ProPlugger 5-IN-1 Planting Tool allows you to work from a standing position, saving your back and knees. Comfortable, sturdy hand grips are helpful for seniors or those with mild arthritis.
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MADE IN THE USA of durable all welded carbon steel. Money Back Guarantee – 100% Customer Satisfaction
3
Rating is 4.8 out of 5
Jardineer Bulb Planter Tool - Long Handle Bulb Planter with Small Bulb Planter Set, Saw-Tooth Bulb Transplanter for Quick Dig. Durable Bulb and Garden Planter Steel Handle, Ideal Bulb Planting Tool
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【3Pcs Bulb Planter Tool】- This bulb planter set comes with long handle bulb planter, small bulb planter and dirt-proof gloves. Step and twist to pull out plugs, quickly make rows of consistant holes in 3" dia for your bulbs.
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【Saw-Tooth Blade - Easy Plug Bulb Planter】- Bulb planter tool with serrated blade, dig into soils and lawns easier to make plugs (the next plug pushes the previous plug out automatically). Powder coated steel construction of this bulb transplanter is built to last.
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【Large Foot Plate for Safety & Extra Down Force】- Long handle bulb planter with wider foot plate easily maximizes force with your body weight, brings optimal digging safety and performance. Avoid digging in dry or overly saturated soil.
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【Save Your Back in Various Bulb Planting】- This long handle bulb planter allows you to plant ALL KINDS OF BULBS and bedding plants from a comfortable standing position, such as tulips, crocus, dahlias, gladiolus, lilies and most bedding plants are easy to plant at the perfect depth.
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【Order with Confidence】- Jardineer is devoted to providing reliable product. Customer satisfaction is always our pursuit. Whatever problem you meet about this bulb planter set, please contact us, we will help you solve it.
4
Rating is 4.7 out of 5
Dewayna Bulb Planter Tool, 6 Inches Depth Mark Hand Bulb Planter, Non-Bending Stainless Steel Bulb Planter Digger, Garden Bulb Transplanter with Comfortable Grip Wooden Handle for Tulip and Daffodils
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【10 × Efficiency Saves Your Time】This bulb planter makes planting go faster than digging with a regular shovel, just push down and twist, and up comes the dirt leaving a perfect hole of whatever depth you desire. Save a lot of digging time and you can easily plant 150 bulbs in an hour more efficiently than using a hand shovel to plant 15 bulbs in an hour.
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【Easy-to-Read Measurement Markings】The English scale with 1 to 6-inch depth marks on the outside of the tulip bulb planter tool helps to maintain a consistent depth. No other tools or measuring devices were needed which make all your bulbs are planted at the right depths.
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【High-Quality Metal Resists Bending】This bulb planting tool is made of thicker stainless steel, which has strong compression and corrosion resistance and is more sturdy and durable, which means it doesn't bend when you push it into the ground. It has sharp edges on the bottom, which can easily cut through heavy soil in your garden.
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【Comfortable Grip Wooden Handle】The handle of garden tool bulb planter (made of FSC-approved wood) is designed in an ergonomic streamline, which fits the natural shape of the hand when holding and using, which helps to provide comfort and good posture when kneeling to plant small bulbs, making the gardening process more comfortable and labor-saving.
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【Lifetime Warranty】We offer a 100% lifetime warranty on all bulb planters, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about our garden tools during use, we will provide you with a satisfactory solution within 24 hours.
5
Rating is 4.6 out of 5
Colwelt Bulb Planter Tool Long Handle, Serrated Base Gardening Bulb Transplanter with Soft Grip, Heavy Duty Long Handled Bulb Planter Sod Plugger for Digging Holes to Plant Tulips, Iris, Daffodils
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ADD CHEERY BULBS TO YOUR PLANTINGS -- yes, this bulb planter tool long handle will be the best assistant for your planting career. It digs perfect holes for tulips, crocus, dahlias, gladiolus, lilies, or any other spring flower bulbs and most bedding plants(Dig Holes: 3-1/2'' dia, Max 4-7/10'' depth). Adding cheery bulbs to your plantings will help to herald the spring!
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STEP, TWIST, PULL AND READY -- get this gardening bulb transplanter, planting job will be a piece of cake. The long handled bulb planter is easy to install within minutes, and then step, twist, pull and you are ready to plant. Dig 3-1/2” diameter planting holes quickly, one after another, from a comfortable standing position(avoid digging in dry or overly saturated soil).
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PLANT LIKE A PRO -- this sod plugger includes a serrated base which helps it penetrate the stony soil easier. The special TWO-PEDALS design makes planting job efficient. Foot Pedal helps you apply max. downward force with your body weight, bring optimal digging performance. Then step and push the Raised Pedal, the soil core will drop out automatically and easily.
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PLATING IN A STANDING POSITION -- no doubt, this bulb planter tool will take the pain out of your planting. The long handle design prevents excessive bending, allowing you to work from a standing position. Saving you time and your back! The soft T-style grip handle also provide extra comfort for you.
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ORDER WITH CONFIDENCE -- this bulb planter tool is made of powder coated steel, heavy-duty and rust-resistant, which can hold up over the years. Customer satisfaction is always our pursuit. Whatever problem you meet, you can contact us.
6
Rating is 4.5 out of 5
Altdorff 5-in-1 Lawn and Garden Tool, Updated Bulb Planter Long Handle for Digging, Weeding, Soil Sampler, Transplanting, Sod Plugger
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5-IN-1 PLANTING TOOL- The garden tool is not just a long bulb planter, it's also a 5-in-1 lawn tool. It can work as a weeder, sod plugger, grass plugger tool, hole diggers and bulb planter. You won't agonize over having to carry all your yard tools with you.
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HOW TO USE BULB PLANTER- Step, twist, pull and you’re ready to plant. Step down the middle pedal, you can control how deep want to go into the dirt. Step down the right pedal effortlessly release your soil. The 5-in-1 planting tool allows you to work from a standing position, saving your back and knees.
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IDEAL SIZE AND WIDE-USE - Our bulb planter is 39 inches tall, 11 inches wide, T-handle, and weighs 3 pounds. Quickly dig out a 3.5-inch diameter planting hole. Many bulbs can be grown in short time, and plants and flowers can be transplanted.
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HEAVY DUTY SOD OR GRASS PLUGGER - The garden tool is made of iron with powder coating on the surface. It has strong weather resistance, rust resistance, and durability. This bulb planter tool has two rows of bolts for stability. You can use this 5-in-1 lawn and garden tool anywhere in your yard.
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AFTER-SALE SERVICE: Whatever questions you have about our long hand bulb planter, please let us know. There is no limit of time or space. We will serve you until you are satisfied.
7
Rating is 4.4 out of 5
Walden Backyards Perfect Planter - Long Handle Bulb Transplanter for Planting Flowers - Heavy Duty Garden Tool for Digging & Refilling Holes
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HEAVY DUTY - The Perfect Planter is made of durable, high-quality materials and engineered to withstand frequent use. The bulb planter’s exceptional strength allows you to plant bulbs effortlessly while ensuring years of reliable performance.
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COMFORTABLE DESIGN - Our bulb transplanter is equipped with a long, comfortable handle that provides a firm and ergonomic grip. The gardening tool allows you to plant bulbs quickly and easily without bending or kneeling, saving you time and effort.
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MULTI-PURPOSE - Our versatile planter can easily plant spring and fall flower bulbs, annuals, perennials, and tree seedlings. The bulb digger cuts precise, perfectly-sized holes in both normal and moist soil that always have the correct depth and never cave in. It also functions as a sod-plugging tool!
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EASY TO USE - Our planter tool is easy to use for planting bulbs in all gardens. With a lightweight and convenient design, the Perfect Planter provides optimal control and stability during planting sessions. Conveniently hangs for effortless storage!
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TRUSTED BRAND - Walden Products is a leading supplier of backyarding accessories, and offers premium yard tools, outside fire pits, fire grates, campfire fire starters, fireplace pokers, ash scoops, and more.
8
Rating is 4.3 out of 5
Bulb Planter Garden Sod Plugger with Ergonomic Masual Handle,Heavy Duty Planting Tools for Digging Holes to Plant Spring Flowers Bulbs,Bedding Plants,Tulips,Crocus,Dahlias,Gladiolus,Lilies
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SOIL PLUG SLIDES OUT FROM SIDE: You NEEDN’T turn the tool upside down to let the soil plugs slid out and empty the planter! Our upgraded bulb planter makes perfect soil plugs drop out automatically and continuously from the side. Double the bulbs in half the time.
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NO SOIL STUCK IN: You NEEDN’T manually remove clumps of soil stuck in the tube periodically! There is no soil or dirt got stored or stuck in the tool when you dig with the closed slant design of the tube. The process you make soil or sod plugs is a process of emptying the tool.
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MULTIUSE GARDEN TOOL:Totally awesome lawn plugger, root remover, weed puller, bulb planter! This garden bulb planter tool makes perfect holes for planting bulbs and bedding spring flowers. Also ideal for transplanting lawns and weeding fields, especially when it comes to transplanting crops, it saves you more time.
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NO PAIN & NO BREAKING: With an ergonomic height of 33.5” and foam padded handle, you can work from a standing position without body hurts, back knee pains or blisters. Rust free power coated steel construction makes this bulb planter tool stands up to millions of bulbs’ planting and not breaking. NOTE: Each bulb planter enjoys 12-month warranty, replacement or refund will be arranged once we receive your message.
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EASY TO USE: Step,twist,pull and ready to plant! Dig perfect 2/4/6 inches deep holes for tulips, crocus, dahlias, gladiolus, lilies, or any other spring flower bulbs and most bedding plants with each pick.Only one person can complete large-scale planting.We recommend moistening the soil before using our planters for easier and faster digging
How to plant bulbs in a lawn using a bulb planter?
Planting bulbs in a lawn using a bulb planter is a relatively simple process. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Choose the right location: Select an area of your lawn where you want to plant the bulbs. Make sure it is an area with well-draining soil and receives the appropriate amount of sunlight for the specific bulbs you're planting.
- Prepare the soil: Prepare the soil by removing any existing grass or weeds from the area where you will be planting the bulbs. Loosen the soil using a gardening fork or spade to a depth of about 6-8 inches.
- Select the bulbs: Choose the bulbs you want to plant, considering their size, bloom time, and specific soil and light requirements.
- Determine the spacing and depth: Read the instructions provided with the bulbs or research online to determine the ideal spacing and planting depth for the specific bulbs you have.
- Use a bulb planter: A bulb planter is a specialized tool designed to make the planting process easier. It consists of a long tube with a hollow end and a handle. Insert the hollow end into the soil at the desired location, push it down to the recommended depth, and twist it back and forth slightly to create a hole.
- Planting the bulbs: Once the hole is made, place the bulb into the hole with the pointed end facing upwards. Gently press the soil around the bulb to ensure good contact and eliminate any air pockets.
- Repeat the process: Continue using the bulb planter to dig a hole for each bulb, keeping the spacing and depth consistent. As you proceed, you can use a ruler or measuring tape to ensure the spacing is accurate.
- Finish and water: After planting all the bulbs, lightly water the area to help settle the soil and initiate growth. Avoid overwatering as excessive moisture can lead to bulb rot.
- Clean and store the bulb planter: Clean the bulb planter thoroughly after using it, removing any soil or debris. Store it in a safe place, ready to be used for future bulb planting.
Remember to follow any specific care instructions for the bulbs you planted, such as watering and fertilizing requirements, to ensure successful growth and beautiful blooms.
What is the lifespan of a bulb planter?
The lifespan of a bulb planter can vary depending on the quality of the materials used, how frequently it is used, and the conditions in which it is stored. Generally, a well-made bulb planter can last for several years or even decades if properly maintained. However, there are also cheaper or lower-quality bulb planters that may wear out or break more quickly. It is important to clean and store the bulb planter correctly after each use to extend its lifespan.
How deep should I plant bulbs using a bulb planter?
When using a bulb planter, it is recommended to plant bulbs at a depth of approximately three times their own height. This ensures that the bulbs are properly anchored in the soil and have enough space to grow and bloom. However, it is important to consider the specific instructions provided with the bulbs you are planting, as different types of bulbs may have slightly different planting depths.
How do I maintain a bulb planter for optimal performance?
Here are some tips to maintain a bulb planter for optimal performance:
- Clean and dry after each use: After planting bulbs, clean the planter thoroughly, removing any soil or debris stuck to it. Dry it completely before storing to prevent rust or corrosion.
- Lubricate moving parts: Apply a light coat of lubricant or oil to any moving parts, such as hinges or joints, to ensure smooth operation. This will prevent any rust formation and help maintain the overall functionality of the planter.
- Check for wear and tear: Regularly inspect the bulb planter for any signs of wear and tear. Look for loose or bent parts, cracks, or corrosion. If you notice any damage, repair or replace the affected parts promptly.
- Sharpen blades or edges: Over time, the cutting blades or edges of the planter may become dull. Keep them sharp by using a file or a sharpening tool. Sharp blades will ensure clean and precise cuts while planting bulbs.
- Store in a dry place: After cleaning and drying, store the bulb planter in a dry place, away from moisture or extreme temperature fluctuations. Hanging or placing it in a tool shed, garage, or other protected areas is ideal to prevent rusting or other damage.
- Follow manufacturer's instructions: Always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for specific care requirements and recommendations for your bulb planter model. They may have additional tips or specific maintenance procedures tailored to your planter's design.
What are some signs that indicate bulbs planted with a bulb planter are healthy and thriving?
- Green and healthy foliage: One of the most obvious signs that bulbs are healthy is the presence of vibrant and lush green foliage. Healthy bulbs will produce leaves that are sturdy, upright, and not discolored.
- Strong stem growth: Bulbs that are healthy and thriving will have strong and sturdy stems that are able to support the weight of the flowers. The stems should be straight and not floppy or weak.
- Robust root system: A healthy bulb will develop a strong and extensive root system. Gently dig around the base of the plant to check for white, firm, and well-developed roots.
- Proper flowering: Healthy bulbs will produce flowers that are true to their variety, with vibrant colors, shapes, and sizes characteristic of the particular bulb plant. The flowers should also appear in the expected season or time frame.
- Multiple blooms or offsets: Bulbs that are thriving and healthy may produce multiple flowers or offsets (small bulblets), indicating that the plant is reproducing and growing well.
- Absence of pests and diseases: Healthy bulbs will be relatively free from pests and diseases. Signs of damage or infestation, such as holes, wilting, or discoloration, should be absent or minimal.
- Regular growth and progress: A healthy bulb will exhibit steady growth and progress throughout the growing season. If the plant continues to develop, with foliage, stems, and flowers appearing at the appropriate times, it is likely that the bulbs are healthy and thriving.
