If you want a really chic eye-catcher in your garden, then you should plant ornamental onions. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind.
An eye-catcher in the garden: the ornamental onion
When the absolutely imposing flower balls, which are placed massively on their thin stalks, bloom in the gardens every year, we can hardly get enough of them. Which is why the ornamental onion has been one of the most popular plants in our gardens for many years.
If you want to get this beautiful plant in your garden, then you should follow the tips below. These explain what you need to consider when planting ornamental onions and the subsequent care for them.
What sorts are there?
First of all, we would like to clarify which varieties of ornamental onions are available. The basic form of the ornamental onion flowers in a bright shade of purple, which makes it appear a little magical. In the meantime, however, ornamental onion varieties are also available in pink and white. The latest breeds delight their viewers with differently shaped flower balls and in the other flower colors blue, yellow and pink.
By the way:
The genus of ornamental onions also includes the well-known chives, wild garlic, spring onions and garlic! Chives are actually a smaller variant of ornamental leeks. Because it also forms small bushy flowers. You can also plant chives between flowers to fill in the gaps.
Planting ornamental onions - 5 important tips
Tip 1:
Almost all varieties of ornamental onions love the blazing sun. You should therefore plant the flower bulbs in autumn (October to November) in a place that is as sunny as possible, in very nutrient-rich soil (add humus) and quite deep - approx. 25 centimetres.
When planting the bulbs, you must make sure that they are not infested with mould.
Tip 2:
Put about 5 centimeters of sand in the planting holes before planting the flower bulbs, this will make it much easier for the plants to get through the harsh winter months .
Tip 3:
Of course you can use ornamental onionsalso place as a container plant on the balcony or terrace. Again, make sure you find a sunny spot.
Tip 4:
You must fertilize the ornamental onion as regularly as possible in the spring and up to the flowering stage. Only in this way can it develop its full splendor over several years.
In addition to complete fertilizer (mineral fertiliser), spreading fresh humus or animal manure around the plants is also suitable.
Tip 5:
Every autumn you should cut off the faded ornamental onion stalks just above the ground so that they can sprout again in the coming year. Then you should also work fresh humus into the soil around the plant.