Take part in our research. Meet the team. Shop plants rhsplants. Shopping with the RHS. RHS Christmas gifts. Help us achieve our goals Make a donation. Join the RHS today and support our charity Join now. Save to My scrapbook. Planting bulbs in a container. Quick facts. Timing Plant spring-flowering and hardy summer-flowering bulbs in autumn, tender summer-flowering bulbs in early spring, and autumn-flowering bulbs by late summer Difficulty Easy.
Jump to Suitable for When to plant bulbs Where to plant bulbs How to plant bulbs Problems. Suitable for When to plant bulbs Autumn Plant spring-flowering bulbs, such as daffodils , crocus and hyacinths , preferably by the end of September Plant tulips in November Plant hardy summer-flowering bulbs, such as lilies, alliums and crocosmia, in September and October Spring Plant tender summer-flowering bulbs, including gladioli, in early spring Summer Plant autumn-flowering bulbs, such as nerines, by late summer.
Where to plant bulbs Some bulbs need specific siting; Most hardy bulbs, including tulips and daffodils, prefer a warm, sunny site with good drainage as they come from areas with dry summer climates Bulbs from cool, moist, woodland habitats, such as Cardiocrinum , need similar garden conditions. Improve light or sandy soils with garden compost and heavy soils with compost plus grit.
How to plant bulbs Most bulbs are acquired and planted when dry, in a dormant, leafless, rootless state. Planting in borders Aim to plant in groups of at least six, as the more bulbs that are grouped together, the better the display. This method applies to spring-, summer- and autumn-flowering bulbs: Dig a hole wide and deep enough for your bulbs. Plant most bulbs at two to three times their depth. Avoid treading on the soil as this can damage the bulbs If the ground is moist or the bulbs are autumn-planted, watering is not critical.
In containers Most bulbs are ideal for growing in containers, but this especially suits those with large, showy flowers, such as tulips, lilies , arum lilies and alliums. Here are some tips for success: For bulbs that are only going to spend one season in their container, use a mix of three parts multi-purpose compost with one part grit. For long-term container displays, use three parts John Innes No 2 compost mixed with one part grit Plant at three times their depth and one bulb width apart Water bulbs once after planting then regularly when in active growth, but you can reduce watering once the leaves start to die down and then through the dormant season.
Stop watering about 3 weeks after the blooms have passed and allow the foliage and stems to die back. Tulips need very little water. Water them well just once when planting, then you can forget about them until spring. The only exception is during extended periods of drought when you should water weekly to keep the ground moist. Make sure the potting soil is thoroughly soaked when you plant your bulbs and don't allow it to dry out as it can be difficult to rewet it properly.
However, don't allow the pot to stand in a pool of water. Over the winter, check that soil in your pots is moist and water weekly - except when the soil is frozen. As spring approaches and the bulbs start to grow rapidly, increase the watering to once or even twice a day.
Send me your questions! Older Post Newer Post. How to Water Bulbs? I planted hyacinths in glass pots, but the bulbs had a lot of roots and the rest just did not bloom.
Can I plant them outside now? Yes, but in a sheltered area, like if you have a deck and there is fresh soil you can plant in. Also, even though it is outside sometimes it might not rain or get water, so still water it. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2. My tulips grew in water, have "roots," and have bloomed. How do I care for them now? Tulips grown this way will not recover very easily, but if you would like to try, add a light fertilizer to the water, allow the leaves to continue to grow, and place the tulips in a sunny window.
The bulbs need to be "rebuilt" after using most of their energy to grow and bloom. This might take weeks. When the leaves begin to yellow or fade, they need to go dormant, so withhold the water and allow them to dry. Next, they need a cold treatment refrigerator temperature for weeks, and then they might bloom again.
All of this work does not guarantee another bloom, so most people throw the bulb in the compost pile, or plant it outside and hope it survives. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3. I have stored several daffodil bulbs in a bag in the closet since the spring. It is now October.
Am I correct that I should put them in the freezer for a period of time before planting? It depends where you are. If you get a little bit of frost now and then, you should be fine to pop them straight into the ground. Don't put them in the freezer, though - just the fridge. It's not as simple as it sounds, either; other things in your fridge can release gases that damage them.
Really serious bulb addicts have a designated bulb fridge! Do some Googling and check that you know how to do it. Not Helpful 3 Helpful 5. I just found bulbs in a gifted pot of lilies that just died. When should I plant it? Should I wait until next spring if it is summer? It depends on what time in summer it is. Don't plant them if it's near the end of summer, but anytime in the beginning or middle should be fine. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3. Once your spring bulbs have stopped flowering you may cut and remove any spent flowers, but for the best flowers next spring leave the foliage alone.
The reason for this is after flowering your plants are storing energy from the sun up until the foliage dies. This stored energy is what they will use to flower the following spring. Once the foliage finally does die then you can cut the foliage off low near the ground.
Also, be sure to feed your plants twice with bulb food. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Cutting off the foliage early will result in the bulb being unable to make food causing energy to dwindle and the plant to die.
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