Once you have planted a bluebell, you hardly have to worry about the bulb flower. Only the water requirement should be kept in mind.
The bluebell (Hyacinthoides) is a well-known plant that is considered a herald of spring and can be found alongside tulips and daffodils at this time. The plant is very popular with hobby gardeners because of its attractive flowers and a pleasant scent. This is reinforced by the easy care of the bulbous flower, which itself makes hardly any demands on the environment and holder. Below we would like to describe what you need to know about the plant and what to keep in mind when it comes to caring for bluebells.Bunny bells - small profile
At first, many people think of the bluebell as a small, harmless plant that only shows its flowers in spring and announces the coming, warmer temperatures. But there is much more to the cute-looking little plant than just being the herald of spring. The plant forms calyx flowers arranged like grapes, which can be different colored and are available in various types.
The plant also produces capsule fruits - but these should be enjoyed with caution. Because consumed, they can cause complaints because they are considered poisonous. So if you want to avoid cramps and vomiting or similar symptoms, don't try to eat the components of the bluebell. Contact with skin and mucous membranes should also be avoided as far as possible, because bluebells are known to be irritating and irritating. The small and harmless plant does not only have very nice properties. Incidentally, a growth height of up to 40 cm can be expected. The plant overwinters with the bulb in the ground, which can also propagate by division.
Advantages and disadvantages in terms of care
Advantages
✔ quite easy to keep and care for
✔ does not make many demands on the soil, location etc.
✔ can grow well, especially under trees
✔ widespread grows by itself very quickly, so that propagation is hardly necessary
✔ hibernates by itself when planted in the garden
✔with one of the first flowering plants of the year
Cons
✘ not suitable for consumption, can cause he alth problems
✘ can irritate the skin
✘ Propagation often has to be contained if the plant is not to spread everywhere✘ The plant does not tolerate drought and excessive sunlight well
✘ Bluebells planted in flower pots must be wrapped in fleece or brushwood for the winter so that the bulb can make it through the winter
What you need to know about care
The bluebell tolerates direct sunlight from the midday heat only moderately well - so it should be planted where it gets a lot of light, but not too much drought and also enough partial shade. Dry soil should also be avoided with bluebells in any case, the little plant prefers it a little damper. If you consider these two important factors, you can basically not do much wrong when caring for the plant.
Watering the bluebells - how much water?
In the case of the bluebell, the soil should rather be a little too moist than too dry. Dry soil and a lot of heat, for example from the strong midday sun, will dry out the bulb, which can damage the plant or kill it. Therefore, purchased onions should be planted immediately, not after a few days. However, the soil must not be too wet either, so that water cannot collect around the onion - this waterlogging could cause the onion to rot. So it's important to find the right middle ground when watering to give the plant the right thing. Moderate watering is perfect for well-drained soil - whenever the top layer of soil no longer appears moist. Especially in spring, the bluebell needs a lot of moisture in order to unfold its splendor and to develop the many calyxes or flower bells.
Does the bluebell have to be fertilized?
As a rule, the bluebell is planted in soil that already has sufficient nutrients. The plant, which reaches a height of up to 40cm, does not need fertilizer. But if you want to fertilize or mulch a little, you can do this moderately in the spring until flowering - after that you should completely do without fertilizer. Compost is generally better for bluebells than liquid fertilizer - because compost continuously releases a small amount of nutrients around the bulb, rather than saturating it with nutrients and potentially minimizing flowering.
Do you have to cut the bell jar?
Actually, no special care of the bluebell is necessary in this respect either. The leaves of the herbaceous plant in particular should not be cut, as they provide the onion with nutrients next spring and thus make fertilizing unnecessary. However, you may have to cut off the flower stalks - if necessary - but only if you want to avoid the rapid multiplication of the bluebell. If you separate the flowers in time, they do not lose their seeds, so that they in turn cannot germinate in the ground and occupy entire garden areas. If the bluebell has taken up enough space in the garden, this cut should be carried out annually - when the flower has developed and is almost over.
If you don't want to damage the plant in the lawn, you should also avoid mowing the leaves - at least until they have turned yellow and look completely wilted after flowering.
What does the bluebell need to hibernate?
If the bluebell onion has been planted in the garden, it does not need any help over the winter. Deep in the ground and covered by its leaves, the onion manages to brave the frost and cold temperatures. However, if the plant has been placed in a flower pot and is to remain outdoors in winter, it is necessary to wrap the flower pot with fleece or something similar and, if possible, also cover the soil with brushwood and twigs. This provides a layer of warmth that keeps out most of the cold and therefore protects the bulb from damage. However, the plant does not have to come into the house for the winter, so that you save a lot of work here too.