A Head Gardener Says He Swears By This One Fall Gardening Tool for Time-Efficient, Strain-Free Bulb Planting – Here's Where To Buy it For Under $25

There's no doubt that October is one of the busiest months for us gardeners. From pruning to planting and winterizing ahead of frost, there's a time pressure to get everything done before it becomes too cold and wet. But, Gravetye Manor's Head Gardener, Tom Coward, says there's one tool that helps him and his team work efficiently at this time of year: a bulb planter.

Gravetye Manor is a historic Victorian garden in the English countryside of Sussex. Throughout its flower borders and meadows, thousands of bulbs are planted for impressive spring color. Instead of struggling through the strenuous task of digging holes, Tom and his team use a bulb planter to cut perfect bulb-sized cut-outs for planting.

It's a tool to have in your bag for fall, but also one that will prove useful come spring. For Tom, it allows Gravetye's bulbs to be planted in just a fraction of the time, making this essential task a joy to do.

Why Tom Coward's Bulb Planter is an Essential for Fall

When it comes to bulbs to plant in October, Tom says a bulb planting tool is essential for time efficiency, less strain, and enjoyment.

'One of the most useful tools in the garden in fall is our Sneeboer bulb planter (available directly from Sneeboer),' he says.

'It punches out cores of soil so we can plant new bulbs into our wildflower meadows,' Tom adds.

At Gravetye Manor, an expansive wildflower meadow creates a carpet of color in spring. Planting bulbs en masse, such as planting bulbs for naturalizing, can be time-consuming and strenuous, but it creates an impactful display.

With a bulb planter that instantly cuts a hole in place, you can get bulbs in the ground much more quickly. Plus, those with depth markers can help you avoid bulb planting mistakes by creating the perfect dimensions for the bulbs you're planting.

'It is one of the most enjoyable tools to use at this time of year as we introduce new daffodils, crocus, and wild tulips,' Tom says.

Tom Coward

Tom has worked at Gravetye Manor since 2010, helping with major restorations of the garden. He has been a gardener since age 15 with a notable previous role at Great Dixter in East Sussex, England.

Our Top 3 Bulb Planter Picks

If you're keen to incorporate some bulb planting trends in your yard next year, now is the time to get them planted. There are a few different types of bulb planting tools to help you get the job done, so we compiled our top three picks (and they're currently all on sale):

With your bulb planter in hand, you can try drift planting with bulbs. Just make sure to read up on how deep to plant the bulbs to ensure they establish nicely over winter for successful spring blooming.