Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to our most frequently asked questions. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Flower Bulbs

When is the best time to plant my flower bulbs?

We will send you your flower bulbs at the time most suitable for planting them, so Spring flowering bulbs immediately after the fresh harvest in September and summer flowering bulbs in March. You can also store your bulbs temporarily in your shed or cellar. The most important principle is that you plant your spring bloomers in autumn before the frost and your summer bloomers in spring again only after the frost.

How do I plant flower bulbs?

Make sure that the pointy side is facing up and the flat side (the root crown) is facing downwards. Planting your bulbs in this way will ensure that they come up evenly. If you scatter the bulbs in the ground, they will flower, but they might come up unevenly.

What is the planting distance and depth of flower bulbs?

The general rule is:

Planting distance: maintain a distance of 2 x the width of the bulb.
Planting depth: plant 2 x as deep as the bulb is high.

Click here for more detailed planting instructions.

Can flower bulbs also be planted in pots?

Flower bulbs can certainly be planted in pots, but not all of them. Please ensure that the pot has good drainage (through a hole in the bottom, for example) and that the ground will not be too dry. However, you will need to protect your pots against frost, which you can do by placing something like straw or bubble wrap around the pot. You can also place the pots inside your shed and, once the frosts are over, you can put them outside again.

If you are uncertain about your bulbs or the bulbs you want to buy, you can always look at the specifications to see if the bulbs are suitable for in pots.

Do the bulbs require special soil or fertiliser?

Flower bulbs grow and flower in every type of soil, as long as it drains well. Fertilising your bulbs is unnecessary in the first year, because a bulb already has all the nutrients it needs to grow. For bulbs that you want to naturalise, you will need to add a little fertiliser after they have flowered. For more information, go to our planting instructions.

Do I need to water the bulbs after planting?

If you plant the bulbs in moist soil, you won’t need to water them. You can water them to press the soil down a little, but you can also do this with your hands. If you plant bulbs in pots you need to monitor the soil does not get too dry.

Can I leave the flower bulbs in the ground and will they come up again next year?

You can naturalise many bulbous plants, but not all. We have put together a selection for you that contains the best and most beautiful varieties that are ideal for naturalising. Click here for the selection. You can also look at the specifications of our products to see if they will naturalise or use the naturalise filter one of the category pages.

Can I keep the bulbs and plant them later?

We will send you your flower bulbs at the most suitable time for planting. To ensure their premium quality, plant them as soon as possible after you receive them. If this isn’t feasible, store your bulbs temporarily in a cool, dry place, such as in your garage or cellar. Check your bulbs regularly to ensure that no mould is growing on them as a result of high humidity. If this is the case, it is best to dry the bulbs and plant them straightaway.

How can I protect the flower bulbs from deer and rodents?

It is a well-known fact that deer and rodents can’t resist some bulbous plants, like tulips. And there's no real solution for this problem However, there are bulbs they don't like and if you mix them with other bulbs they're less likely to be eaten. You can also look at the specifications of our products to see if they are deer and rodent proof or use the filter one of the category pages.

I live in a warm climate. Should I give my bulbs a period in the cold before planting them?

In order for them to flower, bulbs need a period in the cold. In most areas, this happens naturally underground during winter, but you can also store your bulbs in the fridge or another cold spot. You should store them there for six to eight weeks to give them the time they need in the artificially cold environment. After this time you can plant your bulbs and everything will go on exactly as it would in areas with a colder winter.

It has snowed and the bulbs have already grown. Can this cause damage and will these bulbs still flower?

No problem. The snow actually insulates against frost, so your bulbs will be outstandingly protected. Your bulbs will not only have no frost damage, but they will also flower earlier than bulbs that have been kept free from snow.

Can flower bulbs be planted in the climate zone I live in?

There are suitable flower bulbs for almost every climate zone. If you want to know which flower bulbs are suitable for your zone and which zone you live in, you can consult our hardiness zones page.

For zones 7 and 8 (in the United States), you will need to keep the spring flowering bulbs in an artificially cold environment to allow them to later flower. Store them in a cool, dark place (preferably in the fridge) for around six weeks to simulate winter.

Customer Details

How can I order via the website?

Our ordering process is really simple and works like most other online retailers.

I have created an account but can’t log in. Why is that?

It is possible that you have spelt your password or username incorrectly, or that the caps lock key on your keyboard is on. It could also be that you haven’t activated your password yet. You can still activate your password using the link sent to you via email. If you still can’t log in after trying all these options, you can have your details emailed to you again. Please contact our customer service in case of this situation.

My password no longer works. What should I do?

You can request a new password and use it when logging in. Once you have logged in with the password you were sent, we advise you to change your password to a new one.

What happens with my details?

We will handle all your details confidentially and will never distribute them to third parties.

If you would like to find out more, then please read our company privacy policy.

Orders

When can I expect my order?

Flower bulbs are a natural product and are seasonal. Therefore they cannot be sent year round. Spring bloomers will be sent to you in autumn and summer bloomers in spring to ensure that you receive fresh bulbs prior to the planting period. All flower bulbs can, however, be pre-ordered almost year round. If you are unable to plant the bulbs immediately, keep them in a dry spot in your shed or basement. The delivery period depends on the destination country.

We send spring bloomers from mid September for USA and Canada.

Why are the spring flowering flower bulbs only sent in September?

The bulb growing season runs until 1 July. After this time, the bulbs are dug up and handled by the best growers. They dry the bulbs and sort them according to their size and quality, so only the best bulbs arrive in your garden. Once this process is complete, the bulbs are delivered to us and we begin preparing and packing them. By the time we have finished this, it is already the end of September, which is when we put together and send you your own personal package. As you can see, a lot of work has already been done before you can plant your garden. With this in the back of your mind, you will hopefully enjoy your garden even more in spring when it is full of flowering plants.

I want to send a package of flower bulbs as a gift to a different address. Is that possible?

It is certainly possible to send a package as a gift. Indicate this clearly when placing an order and we will ensure that the package arrives at its destination.

I want to send the package to another country. Is that possible?

Yes, you can easily send the package to a different country to the one you live in. Make sure that you state the right destination country at the top of the screen – this is important, as prices differ according to the destination. Please also state the details of the person who will receive the package in the delivery address section.

Do you ship to my country?

We ship our bulbs to more than 15 countries in Europe. In the country list below you can find out if we ship to your country via www.qfbgardening.eu:

Denmark (excl. Greenland and Faroe Islands)
Finland
France (incl. Monaco & Corsica, excl. Andorra and overseas territories)
Hungary
Ireland
Italy (excl. San Marino and Vatican City)
Luxembourg
Poland
Portugal (incl. Azores & Madeira)
Slovenia
Slovakia
Spain (incl. Balearic Islands & excl. Canary Islands)
Czech Republic
Sweden
Bulgaria
Greece
Romania
Netherlands www.qfbgardening.nl
Germany: go to www.qfbgardening.de
Austria: go to www.qfbgardening.de
Belgium choose Dutch www.qfbgardening.nl

For the United Kingdom, go to www.qfbgardening.co.uk:

Shipping & Export documents £19,95,- per order

For the United States, Canada and Switzerland, go to www.qfbgardening.com.

Country	For orders up to €125	For orders €125 - €250	For orders above €250
United States	€30.00	€15.00	FREE
Canada	€30.00	€15.00	FREE
Switzerland	€30.00	€15.00	FREE

Shipping Costs EU

In the overview below you see all the shipping costs of the countries to which we ship in Europe:

Country (EU site)	Shipping costs
Denmark	€24.95
Finland	€29.95
Hungary	€19.95
Ireland	€24.95
Italy	€14.95
Poland	€14.99
Portugal	€14.95
Slovenia	€29.95
Slovakia	€19.95
Spain	€14.95
Czech Republic	€19.95
Sweden	€24.95
Bulgaria	€44.95
Greece	€29.95
Romania	€29.95
Netherlands	€6.95
Germany	€7.49
Austria	€14.95
France	€14.95
Luxembourg	€14.95
Belgium	€6.95

When do I have to pay the shipping costs for my order?

For some countries, we offer free shipping from a certain order value. This amount differs per country. You can see this on the overview pages of the individual countries.

Payments

How can I pay for my order?

We offer several payment methods to make it as easy as possible for you to pay for your order. These are the options we offer:

Visa
MasterCard
American Express
Maestro
PayPal

Is it safe to pay online with you?

It is safe to pay online with us. We use a secure SSL connection to ensure that your details remain safe when paying online. Furthermore, we do not have access to your payment details.

Returning

I am not satisfied with my purchase. Can I return my order?

Of course. You can return your order within 14 days without providing a reason. We will then refund the purchase amount to your account. Please ensure that you handle the product with care and return it in its original packaging. You can find more information about returning orders in our returns policy.

My order was damaged on arrival. What should I do?

We try to package your order as well as possible, but sometimes things go wrong during transport. If you receive a damaged product, please take a photo of the product and send it to our customer service along with your order number and a description of the damage. We will then ensure that you receive a new product or a refund.

How long does it take for the money to be refunded to my account?

As soon as we have received your returned order, we will refund the purchase amount to your account. You will usually have the money back in your account within 14 days.