What happens if you plant at the wrong time?Updated 8 months ago

Bulbs are most often very determined to survive and can still do well if planted late, however if planting very late you may find that some bulbs have started to naturally deteriorate and need to be discarded. Any bulbs which have turned soft, become hollow or shrivelled up are unlikely to grow. If the bulbs are still firm, plant them as soon as possible to give them the best chance, they will not store until the following year.

When bulbs are planted late, you may experience some bulbs producing leaves but no flowers (blind) or with inferior quality blooms. You should still allow the leaves and stems to die back naturally, perennial bulbs should be able to grow back next year and it's likely they will flower normally in the second year. 

Bare root perennials deteriorate quicker than bulbs if not planted. If bare roots have been stored for too long and no longer have any buds or shoots emerging from the root system, it is likely that they have already failed and will not grow after planting. If they do have shoots, even if long and pale having been stored in dark conditions, they should be planted and the shoots normally continue to grow and green-up after planting. When planting summer-flowering bulbs and bare root perennials as late as June/July, it is expected that they will put on less growth in the first year than they would if planted earlier at the correct time. They may only produce leaves in the first season, but perennial varieties should be able to grow back and start flowering from the second year.