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Planting in pots

helenpickinhelenpickin Posts: 4
in Plants
Hello
I am a beginner gardener and this year have just started getting and planting in pots. The pots I planted earlier on all have green stems now though no flowers yet, but I just planted bulbs and seeds in pots that won't flower until August time and they look empty.
I want to know if I can purchase some smaller plants to line the edges until these plants grow so the pots look nicer, or will that stop the bulbs growing. I have planted eucomis and zinnia dahlia. Would there be any plants you recommend tgat I could get that will be flowering June and July that could sit along these?

I am unsure how I can multiple seeds and bulbs in pots to have flowers from spring to late summer. My pots look so unattractive while they are just growing.

Thanks

Helen 

Posts

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I think you need to be somewhat more specific ....... the size of your pots, plastic or otherwise . where you are placing them ( sun/shade ), what bulbs ( other than Eucomis) are you growing, what seeds you have sown so far - annuals, perennials, biennials ? Do you want some pots to have permanent planting and have others which will just look attractive for the summer whilst you wait for the bulbs to flower ?
    There are numerous annuals that you can either sow now or probably buy in a GC  which would flower and give you a bit of interest and colour but without knowing what you are aiming for, it's a wee bit difficult to make any sensible suggestions.  
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Hello Helen :) ,
    Could we have a little more information please, such as the size of pots, and are they terracotta or plastic ?
    What are you growing in them ?

  • helenpickinhelenpickin Posts: 4
    Apologies. It's the pots that look empty I want to add interest to until my bulbs come up and out and throughout Summer. Two pots have in eucomis bulbs, and two have zinnia dahlia seeds in. I also have a wooden planter with a Salvia in it that looks a bit sad by itself. Two of the pots are 30cm and two are 50cm. They are plastic pots (I used my ceramic pots for sweet peas and other flowers which are coming along nicely). I want to learn how to have flowers in pots through spring and summertime. I already have some pots that I don't need to do anything with that have evergreen shrubs for all year interest. Thanks
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    You could have a look at your local garden centre (or even supermarket) and pick up some bedding plants to act as temporary fillers. They won't stop the bulbs coming through and will provide some colour in the meantime. There are so many to choose from, things such as lobelia,nemesias, begonias (the semperflorens type) to name but 3.

  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Eucomis leaves droop over once they are fully grown, so you should probably only put something low growing in that pot.  All of these plants will trail over the edge of the pot.

    Lysimachia numularia (Creeping Jenny)
    Delosperma
    Sedum Dragons Blood
    Sedum lemon carpet
    Arabis coburgii

    I've never grown Zinnia Dahlia, but if they are just a form of Dahlia, then they tend to have upright foliage, so you could use an annual (Petunia, Calibrachoa, California Poppy)
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I don’t think you will be successful sowing Zinnia or dahlia seeds in big pots with other plants, they should be sown in March, indoors and potted on, then planted out as larger plants. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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