Bulb Planting Augers
Bulb Planting Augers - What are they and Do they Work?
If you have lots of bulbs to plant you may be looking for something to make digging all those holes easier. A bulb auger may be what you are looking for. In this article we explain what a bulb auger is, how you use it and most importantly is it any good?
What is a bulb auger?
A bulb auger is a tool that attaches to an electric or cordless drill and is used to make holes in the soil that bulbs can be planted into. They have a spiralled end that is available in various widths so you can drill different sized diameter holes that are suitable for the various sizes of bulbs.
A diameter of 3cm is suitable for crocus, snowdrops and anemones
A diameter of 4.5cm is suitable for tulips, small narcissus and some iris
A diameter of 7cm is suitable for alliums, larger narcissus and can be used to plant bedding plug plants
Bulb augers come in different lengths. The ones in the picture are 22 cm and 45 cm long but you can buy ones up to 76cm long. The longer the bulb auger the less bending you need to do when drilling the holes. The price of the bulb auger will increase with its length and the diameter of hole it can drill.
You will require a cordless drill with a voltage between 18 and 24 volts which has a 'hex' end so the auger does not slip in the drill chuck. Make sure the drill is fully charged before you start. Set the drill to a medium torque setting so you don't hurt your wrist if you hit a stone or tough root. Then all you need to do is drill into the soil using an up and down motion to create a hole of the required depth, drop in your bulb, pointed end up, and refill the hole with soil.
Are bulb augers any good?
Yes up to a point. As it has been raining for a fair few weeks where I live the soil was nice and wet and this made drilling holes easier. I am not sure how it would fair in hard dry soil, and stoney soil would definitely be problematic. I used a 18 volt drill and the bulb augers have made a hole about 7.5 cm to 10 cm deep and a width suitable for bulbs the size of a crocus.
It was certainly easier than using a trowel to dig holes and a lot quicker than digging. It was definitely more fun.
Other Uses
Bulb augers can be used for more than just planting bulbs:
Planting bedding plant plugs
Aerating compost heaps
Breaking up heavy soil
