Spring flowering bulbs

Lollywhiting · September 2018

Hello, I have very little patio space and have bought a number of packs of Spring flowering bulbs...I got carried away.... I don't want to have bare pots of soil on the patio over winter, is it ok to store these pots in a cold shed with no light over winter? If so when do I bring the pots out and do I water the pots and how much... I believe bulbs don't like to be damp.
kind regards
Laurie

Dovefromabove · September 2018

I get little plants of pretty variegated trailing ivy and plant one in the top of each pot ... they look attractive on the terrace through the winter and the bulbs look lovely as the flowers push up above the ivy in the spring.

Obelixx · September 2018

You can also cover with grit or gravel or small pebbles to make them attractive and keep weeds down. Best to protect small pots from frost though until shoots come thru.

They'll be fine in a dark shed as long as you've watered them thoroughly first then let them drain of any excess. Keep checking every week to see if they're bone dry and need a drink or have any shoots showing that need to come out into the light.

Fairygirl · September 2018

Hi Lolly - as Dove says , you can get some little plants to pop in the pots for winter which won't stop the bulbs coming through. The DIY stores often have little multi packs of evergreens which will do the job as well, although they would eventually outgrow the pots, and would need moved on.
Three or five similar pots grouped together, can look quite nice sitting on a patio though, especially if top dressed with a layer of gravel

Keep your pots outside, but put them tucked up against the house wall, or somewhere they won't get knocked about by weather etc. They won't really need any attention over winter.
Not all bulbs have the same requirements, so check what you have, and plant accordingly. Some bulbs, like the fancy tulips, need a drier medium to grow in than crocus or daffs, for instance. Most, however, are fine in a multi purpose compost for one season.
If you're not sure, come back on the forum and ask for advice - you'll get plenty of assistance

Lollywhiting · September 2018

Thank you "dove from above", "Obelixx" and "Fairygirl" for your help and ideas. I think I will try a combination of these ideas and see which works best. 👍🏻🙂

Fairygirl · September 2018

The beauty of spring bulbs is that there are so many types and sizes, and when grown in pots, you can play around with them and change the display as the plants also develop and change. If you don't like something, you can move it out of the way.
It adds a nice dimension to the garden, especially if you have a large patio, terrace or deck, which can look very bare and empty in winter, but it's equally effective in a small space

Don't forget to come back and show us some pix - we love a nice pot or two!

madpenguin · September 2018

Over the past couple of years I have had small spring bulbs,the sort that would quickly get lost in the garden,in small terracotta pots on a table just outside my dining room window.
I keep the pots in a small group and when one pot has finished I remove it from the table and put it somewhere out of the way,give it a feed,let the foliage die back and then put the whole pot away in the garage until about now (job for today!) when I empty the pots and replant the bulbs in fresh compost.
This way I get to see all the flowers at their best and in succession.
English bluebells,snowdrops,crocus,tiny narcissus,anemone,winter aconite,small iris,grape hyacinths and tulips.You can also add maybe some flowers like cyclamen and violas to the mix.
If these were in the garden I would barely see them as I don't always venture out much when the weather is cold!

Kitty 2 · September 2018

I do the same as madpenguin and have groups of pots beside the front and back doors for small early flowering spring bulbs.
Some winter flowering violas or pansies planted on top of the buried bulbs will keep the pots looking cheery until the bulbs start peeping through in spring.

Lizzie27 · September 2018

That's a good idea Mad Penguin and Kitty2. I also do pots of spring bulbs but I like the idea of having them up on a table. I also buy snowdrops in pots as soon as they become available and put them outside on my kitchen windowsill. That way I can admire them while I'm washing up! Afterwards they get planted in the garden for the following year.

Spring flowering bulbs

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