Plant one bulb now, welcome robins all year: three steps, two mistakes to avoid — are you ready?

A small, timely job today can change that.

As nights lengthen and soil cools, food dwindles for insect-eating birds. One reliable bulb sets the table again by spring.

Why the robin keeps coming back

Robins charm at Christmas, but they defend a patch of garden all year. They sing to claim space. They hop close when you dig. They hunt for tiny prey hidden in leaf litter and borders.

Cold snaps push worms and insects deep underground. That shrinks the robin’s menu. Lay the groundwork now and you stack the odds in its favour once the frost bites.

Feed the ground, not just the feeder: build a living larder of mini‑beasts and the robin will stay.

The one bulb to plant now

Camassia, the starry blue bulb from damp meadows, bridges the gap between late spring and early summer. Each spire draws bees, hoverflies and, crucially, aphids. Those small sap-suckers become protein for robins feeding themselves and hungry fledglings.

Plant in October or November for the best take. Choose moist, humus-rich soil that never sits waterlogged. Sun or light shade both work. Border edges, long grasses and pond margins suit camassia well.

Plant once, leave it alone. Undisturbed camassia multiplies for years, turning a corner of soil into a steady buffet.

Planting facts at a glance

Three simple steps today

• Pick the spot. Aim for moisture and morning sun. Avoid deep shade and puddling ground.
• Plant deeply. Set bulbs point-up at 10–15 cm, 10–15 cm apart. Water once to settle the soil.
• Mulch later. In late autumn add 5–8 cm of leaf mould or compost to lock in moisture and protect from frost.

Two mistakes to avoid

• Overwatering heavy soil. Bulbs rot in winter if water stands around them.
• Frequent lifting. Camassia naturalises when left undisturbed; digging breaks the clump’s rhythm.

What happens in spring

Blue spires rise in May. Pollinators arrive first. Aphids follow. Robins patrol the stems and the ground below, taking soft-bodied prey for quick energy. As clumps expand, so does the micro-larder. Bees gain nectar. Hoverflies gain breeding sites. The food web thickens for everything from wrens to bats.

One square metre planted with 25 bulbs can feed birds and pollinators for six weeks each year.

Feed smart through the cold months

Supplement natural food now and you reduce winter losses. Place a feeder in a quiet, sheltered corner, with clear views so birds spot cats early. Robins prefer flat, open trays and ground feeding, not narrow perches.

• Best menu: crushed peanuts, sunflower hearts, and dried or live mealworms.
• Fresh water: a shallow dish changed daily helps more birds than an extra feeder.
• Hygiene: scrub feeders and trays every 2 weeks with hot water to limit disease.
• Avoid: bread, salty snacks and whole peanuts on the ground where chicks could choke.

Reliable food now boosts survival odds once hard frost and short days squeeze feeding time.

Build a robin-friendly plot

Leave a small rough patch. A stack of logs and a loose pile of twigs harbour beetles, spiders and larvae. Keep some fallen leaves under shrubs. That cover shelters prey that birds find by flicking and pecking.

Cut chemicals. Systemic insecticides push insects out of the food chain. Healthy soil makes better bird food. Use compost and mulch to feed the ground life that feeds the robins.

Give cover. Dense shrubs such as hawthorn, holly or dogwood offer quick retreats from sparrowhawks and neighbourhood cats. Keep feeders 2 metres from cover so birds can dart in and out.

Camassia for different spaces

• Small border: 15 bulbs in a loose triangle drift for a natural look.
• Wild patch: weave 50 bulbs through long grass near a pond margin.
• Containers: a 30–35 cm pot takes 10 bulbs; refresh compost every 2 years.

Costs, timing and payback

A typical bag of 10 camassia bulbs costs less than a large sack of seed. Plant once and the clump enlarges each year without extra spend. If you start now, you see flowers in roughly six to eight months, then a steady increase for seasons to come.

For a modest terrace or balcony, two pots planted this week bring colour by late spring and a circuit of insects for hungry birds. Add a dish of water and a handful of mealworms on wet days when worm-hunting stalls.

Questions people ask

Will camassia bring pests?

Aphids will visit. That is the point. They feed ladybirds, hoverfly larvae and birds. Balance arrives quickly when you skip the spray. If colonies build heavily, squeeze or hose them off the worst stems and leave the rest for predators.

What if my soil stays soggy?

Raise the bed by 10 cm with compost and grit. Or plant into a broad container using peat-free compost plus 20% grit. Keep pots off saucers from November to March so rain drains freely.

How many bulbs do I need?

For a strong display, budget 20–30 bulbs per square metre. Mix heights and species if you like variety: Camassia leichtlinii grows taller; Camassia quamash stays compact.

Extra tips that lift results

Add early nectar nearby, such as crocus and winter aconite, to start the insect cycle earlier. Delay the first lawn cut over the camassia area until leaves yellow, so bulbs recharge. If you see cats stalking under the feeder, fit a guard or move the tray 2 metres out from dense cover.

Think in layers. Bulbs feed insects. Insects feed birds. Birds control pests and bring song. One hour of planting this month sets that chain in motion for years, and it starts with a single blue bloom that robins can’t resist hunting around.