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AS IT is autumn in the UK, I have been planting bulbs of plants that will flower in spring. There is a huge variety to choose from, but my personal favourites are tulips.

While most varieties don鈥檛 self-propagate 鈥� unlike other spring bulbs, such as daffodils 鈥� and they will often die after only one or two years, tulips are worth the effort of replanting every autumn for their elegant, cup-shaped blooms and intense, saturated hues.

During the 17th century, passion for tulips in the Netherlands led to the , when prices reached absurd levels before the market collapsed. Most prized were varieties with delicate streaks or feathery markings.

We now know that these patterns are caused by a viral infection. Different levels of tulip breaking virus in the cells of the petals lead to different amounts of pigment. The virus weakens the plant, though, and is passed down through the generations, so some of the varieties that were most prized during the 鈥渢ulip mania鈥� period, such as the exquisite white and red-streaked Semper Augustus, have died out.

Today鈥檚 multicoloured tulips are a result of simple breeding, which means the patterns are more predictable 鈥� and they are in no danger of dying out.

Tulip breaking virus and some other viruses and fungi can still infect the plants, leading not only to unexpected streaky petals, but also to mottled leaves and stunted growth. If this happens, throw away the affected plants. Also, consider waiting until late autumn before planting the bulbs, as this reduces the risk of them contracting tulip fire, a fungal disease.

I grow my tulips in pots because it is easier than digging up my flower beds every autumn. All the food they need is in the bulb, so the plants only require compost with low nutrient levels. But they don鈥檛 like to be too wet because they originally hail from the rocky soils of central Asia.

You can buy bags of well-draining bulb compost or fibre. Alternatively, you can make your own from coconut fibre or by adding grit to a multipurpose compost to improve its drainage, says Chris Taylor at the UK鈥檚 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). 鈥淚f they get wet and cold, they could well rot,鈥� he says.

If you are going to try to get a second year out of the same bulbs, it is worth adding a tomato plant fertiliser, which will be high in potassium, while the plants are in leaf, so that they take the nutrients up into the bulb. The RHS website lists tulip varieties that are more likely to last several years.

To stop squirrels or other pests from tucking into your bulbs over the winter, cover your pots with chicken wire and firmly bend it over the rim. You can leave the pots in an out-of-the-way place until green shoots start poking up. Then, bring them back into full sun, remove the chicken wire and wait for the show.

Clare Wilson is a staff writer at New Scientist and writes about everything life-science related. Her favourite place is her allotment @ClareWilsonMed