Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Spring bulbs pots outside

KweeglyKweegly Posts: 104
Hi all, hopefully a very easy question to answer.

I planted a large number of spring bulbs in terracotta pots before Christmas and stored them in an unheated greenhouse. Having inspected them today there is quite significant growth from the bulbs and I'm curious if I should put them outside? 

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Yes.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    My bulbs stayed outside all winter and despite me being completely useless as sowing them very late they are all showing signs of growth. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The only thing I'd add to the info already given is - some won't appreciate being consistently wet, so it you have tulips, for example [any type]  keep them somewhere a bit sheltered from the worst of the weather. Wet then freezing, especially with terracotta pots, as they absorb a lot of moisture, can also be a problem. 
    It's still very early in the year, and another mild winter doesn't mean there won't be more 'wet then freeze' cycles, so if you can give the terracotta a little more shelter, it can help prevent them cracking. Very high quality ones are more resistant.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • KweeglyKweegly Posts: 104
    Thanks for the replies everyone :)
  • Kweegly said:
    Thanks for the replies everyone :)
    Moving your pots outside will also slow down their growth.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    It might also depend on whether you have squirrels around - they particularly like digging up crocuses, scillas and tulips so I'm keeping mine in the cold greenhouse until they're well into growth.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Mine have been out all winter (in sheltered spots by the house walls and behind the garage). All are growing and this morning I noticed that the dwarf irises are already starting to flower.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    @Lizzie27 so agree! The squirrels have yet again dug up and taken the bulbs (all sorts) from large containers. Thankfully we don't lose all the other bulbs that are in the ground.
    @JennyJ no sign of our dwarf irises....maybe the squirrels have had them this year.
  • KweeglyKweegly Posts: 104
    Yes, I have Squirrels, they like to eat or at least try to eat every bulb I put in the garden, 2 years back I planted 200 Crocus under my trees and only 20 or so made it to flowering, and those that did something nibbled the flowers off.

    I like wildlife in the garden so its something I put up with.

Sign In or Register to comment.