Thursday, January 22, 2015

Late Season Planting: Spring Bulbs in Containers



Its January and normally I do not plant spring bulbs outdoors during this time of the year but a client emailed me and told me she had a bag of 200 mixed spring bulbs; hyacinths, daffodils and red tulips that she wanted me to plant in her plastic containers.

In the past I have planted bulbs in containers and then kept them in the greenhouse but I have never planted them for outdoors this late in the season. There will be snow this weekend and a hard frost.

I think the bulbs should be okay as long as the containers are deep and wide enough for the spring bulbs.  However I did suggest that they keep the newly planted bulb containers on their covered patio.   This area would protect them from excess ice or snow being piled up on top to the containers. Other than that I am certain that as long as I get these bulbs into a container that is mixed with compost potting soil and bone meal that they will be just fine. 

So tomorrow I am going to head over to my clients house and plant her 200 mixed spring bulbs in containers. I will do all the planting in her garage so I won't feel too cold. The spring bulb containers will be topped with a layer of cypress mulch. I think this is wise since there is snow in the forecast.

All I need to do is do the arrangement of the bulbs so they containers look pretty when they bloom, then fill the planters with the amended soil and plant the bulb according to my drawing and then water. My clients husband said he will take them outdoors.



Now I am wondering if the garden centers have any leftover spring bulbs because I would like to fill my plastic containers with spring blooming flowers also. Maybe I will run to Lowe's garden center in the morning and talk to the master gardener that oversees that department.

Learn more about planting tulips in a container by viewing this tutorial.


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