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Last week, we showed you
how to light up you yard next spring by planting spring bulbs now. But
guess what? You can do the same thing, to light up your outdoor containers
or to bring spring bulb colors inside your home. Instead of planting bulbs
in the ground, you simply plant them in a pot!
Growing spring bulbs in
a container is very easy, and here’s what you’ll need:
-8 inch or larger pots,
with good drainage holes in the bottom
-Soil-less potting mix
for our potting medium
-A little of Espoma’s
Bulb Food
-And the bulbs of your
choice. Any of the spring flowering bulbs will work, so look at doing some
pots of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths for great fragrances, and a few minor
bulbs, like these crocus, for early colors.
1.) Place about an inch
or so of soil-less potting mix in the bottom.
2.) Evenly distribute
your bulbs in the mix, point up, and feel free to plant them a little closer
than you would normally. For the tulips, place the flat side of the bulb to
the outside of the pot.
3.) Cover your bulbs
with more soil-less mix, sprinkle on a little Espoma bulb food, and then
fill the pot to the top, lightly compressing the soil as you fill.
4.) Water your potted
bulbs thoroughly.
5.) Now, here’s the
secret. You must over winter your potted bulbs in a cold area. So, leave
your pots sitting outdoors, and water as needed. Once the temperatures
outside have become very cold, consistently, move the planted bulb pots
inside an unheated garage or shed, put them down in a window well, or
actually heel them in the ground, and cover with mulch or leaves for the
winter. Check to make sure they even moisture over the winter, and
otherwise, just let them sit.
6.) Early next spring,
when the bulbs start to grow, bring them in to the house, or place your
potted bulbs in an outdoor planter, give them a light feeding, water as
needed, and let them do their ‘spring thing’. When they’re totally
finished, you can take them out of the pot, plant them in the garden and
enjoy them for years to come! |
