Heavy Duty Bulb Planter by Garland - Long Handled Steel

The heavy-duty steel bulb planter that turns autumn bulb planting from a back-breaking chore into a genuinely satisfying afternoon — long-handled, powder-coated, and built to last decades

The Garland Heavy Duty Bulb Planter is one of those tools that pays for itself the first autumn you use it. Instead of kneeling on damp ground and digging fiddly individual holes with a trowel, you stand upright, push the planter into the soil, twist, and lift out a perfect plug — drop your bulb in, replace the plug, and move on. What was a painful all-day job with 200 bulbs to plant becomes a proper morning's satisfying work.

Made from powder-coated heavy-duty steel with an ergonomic T-grip handle, this is the sort of garden tool that lasts decades rather than seasons. Serious value at £19.99.

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Key Features

• Long handle — use standing upright; no kneeling, bending, or straining your back
• Powder-coated heavy-duty steel — genuine build quality for years of reliable use
• Ergonomic T-grip handle — two-handed leverage for effortless soil penetration
• Depth markings — plant every bulb at the correct depth (usually 2-3 times the bulb height)
• Twist and lift action — cuts a clean plug of soil that goes straight back in after planting
• Serrated cutting edge — cuts through turf, mulch, and firm soil without excessive force
• Rust-resistant finish — the powder coating protects against weather; store outside or in shed
• Suits all bulb sizes — from crocus and snowdrops through to hyacinths and small alliums
• Useful year-round — not just bulbs; ideal for plug plants, onion sets, garlic, and seed potatoes
• Made by Garland — trusted British horticultural manufacturer

Best For

• Autumn bulb planting — the primary use; makes 100-500 bulb planting jobs achievable in a morning rather than a weekend
• Naturalising bulbs in lawns — the plug system means you can plant into established grass and the turf goes back invisibly
• Serious spring garden planning — if you're planting daffodils, tulips, crocus, or alliums in any real number, this tool changes the experience entirely
• Older gardeners or anyone with back problems — the standing operation and T-handle leverage remove the kneeling and bending that make bulb planting painful
• Allotment growers — equally useful for onion sets, garlic cloves, shallots, and seed potatoes as for ornamental bulbs
• Wildflower meadow makers — plug planting into established grass for wildflower establishment
• Perennial plug planters — small perennial plugs go in perfectly with the same tool
• Container and pot planters — precise depth without disturbing surrounding plants in mixed containers
• Gift for a keen gardener — £19.99 hits the "considered gift for someone who'd appreciate quality" price point

How to Use

1. Prepare your planting area — remove any large stones and rake the surface. For lawn naturalising, the tool works straight into established turf
2. Position the planter — place vertically over the spot where you want to plant
3. Push down firmly — use your bodyweight and the T-handle leverage to push the planter into the soil to the required depth (guided by the markings)
4. Twist — a small twisting motion helps the serrated edge cut cleanly
5. Lift — pull the planter out; a plug of soil comes with it, held inside the barrel
6. Add drainage grit if needed — a small handful of horticultural grit at the base of each hole aids bulb drainage (see our Alpine Grit)
7. Plant your bulb — place the bulb pointed end up in the hole at the correct depth
8. Replace the plug — hold the planter over the hole and gently push or tap the plug back into place. Firm gently with your foot
9. Water in — a good watering helps settle the soil around the bulb

Bulb Planting Depth Guide

General rule: plant bulbs at a depth of 2-3 times their height, with pointed end upwards.

Crocus · Muscari · Snowdrop	8-10cm depth
Daffodil · Narcissus	10-15cm depth
Tulip	10-20cm depth (deeper for perennial return)
Hyacinth	10-15cm depth
Allium (ornamental)	10-20cm depth (varies by species)
Iris	10-15cm depth
Onion sets · Garlic cloves	3-5cm depth (just below surface)
Seed potatoes	10-15cm depth

Product Specifications

Manufacturer	Garland Products
Product	Heavy Duty Bulb Planter
Material	Powder-coated heavy-duty steel
Handle	Ergonomic T-grip for two-handed use
Operation	Long-handled — use standing upright
Depth Markings	Yes — guide bulb planting accurately
Cutting Edge	Serrated for clean cuts through turf and firm soil
Finish	Powder-coated for weather resistance
Suitable For	All bulbs, plug plants, onion sets, garlic, seed potatoes
Storage	Hang or stand in shed — weather-resistant if kept outside
Price	£19.99
Origin	British manufacturer (Garland Products)

Care and Maintenance

• After use: Wipe clean of soil with a cloth or brush. If wet, dry before storage to prolong life of the powder coating
• Storage: Hang from the T-handle or stand upright in a shed, garage, or covered outdoor area. Weather-resistant, so occasional outdoor storage is fine
• Cleaning: Wipe with damp cloth. For stubborn dried soil, a stiff brush and warm soapy water works well. Dry thoroughly
• Longevity: Expect decades of use with basic care. The heavy-duty construction and powder coating are genuine build-quality investments
• If the coating chips: A small amount of clear rust-resistant paint over the chip prevents corrosion spread. Not usually needed for many years

Perfect for Autumn Bulb Planting

The best time to use a bulb planter is late September through November, when spring bulbs go in. Daffodils, tulips, crocus, alliums, and hyacinths all reward proper depth planting with better flowering, longer-lasting displays, and more reliable perennial return. A good bulb planter turns the seasonal chore into a genuinely satisfying afternoon — and it's a job you'll do year after year, so the tool pays for itself many times over.

Bulb Drainage Tip — The Grit Trick

One of the biggest killers of bulbs in wet British soils is winter rot. A small handful of horticultural grit at the base of each hole (or mixed into the plug you replace) makes an enormous difference to drainage and bulb survival. Our Alpine Grit 2-6mm is exactly the right grade for this — it's one of the small tricks that separates a garden where bulbs come back every year from one where they gradually disappear.

Companions from the Bishy Range

• Alpine Grit 2-6mm — essential for bulb drainage; the grit at the base of each hole prevents winter rot
• Perennial Flower Seeds — many perennials can be started as plugs and planted with the bulb planter
• Composts, Soils and Mulches — the right soil amendment makes bulbs and plugs thrive
• Garland 3-Ply Jute Twine — sibling Garland product; useful across the wider allotment
• Vegetable Seeds — onion sets, garlic, and seed potatoes all plant beautifully with the bulb planter
• Cottage Garden Seeds — for spring displays alongside your bulbs
• The Potting Shed collection — all growing essentials in one place

About Garland Products

Garland Products is a well-established British horticultural manufacturer with a strong practical range of propagation equipment, greenhouse essentials, and quality garden tools. Their heavy-duty range is aimed at gardeners who want tools that last decades, not seasons — genuine build quality at prices that make sense.

About Bishy Barnabee's Cottage Garden

We're a small Norfolk seed and garden supplies business, run from Salle Moor Hall Farm near Reepham. Alongside our own-grown seeds and dried flowers, we curate a small Potting Shed range of genuinely useful tools and supplies — things we use ourselves or would happily recommend to a fellow gardener. The Garland Heavy Duty Bulb Planter is one of those investment tools worth having in the shed: use it hard through autumn, then wipe it clean, and it'll come out again next October ready for another 200 daffodils. If you'd like advice on the right bulb varieties for your soil or aspect, get in touch.

AFTER USE:
- Wipe clean of soil with cloth or brush
- Dry if wet before storage
- Prolongs powder coating life

STORAGE:
- Hang from T-handle or stand upright
- Shed, garage, or covered outdoor area
- Weather-resistant so occasional outdoor storage fine
- No temperature restrictions

CLEANING:
- Wipe with damp cloth
- Stubborn dried soil: stiff brush and warm soapy water
- Dry thoroughly before storage
- No special cleaning products required

LONGEVITY:
- Expect decades of use with basic care
- Heavy-duty construction genuine investment
- Powder coating protects against weather

IF COATING CHIPS:
- Small amount of clear rust-resistant paint over chip
- Prevents corrosion spread
- Not usually needed for many years