So you love tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths? The list goes on. But maybe you live in a condo or apartment with only a balcony and no yard. Or perhaps you’re so in love with spring bulbs that you want them in your garden beds and in pots on either side of your front door! Is there a way to achieve this? It’s an age-old question. Can fall-planted bulbs be grown in containers? The answer is most definitely, yes! We are here to provide everything you need to know about planting bulbs in containers over winter. If your goal is to have success growing bulbs in pots this winter for spring blooms continue reading below.
Keys to Success When Planting Flower Bulbs in Containers
Pssst…if you are new to planting flower bulbs check out these Ten Tips for Fall Flower Bulb Planting.
Bulbs planted in containers need good drainage.
Just like when planting in a garden bed, good soil drainage is key. Choose a planter with drainage holes. If the pot you have does not have drainage holes consider drilling some if possible.
Add 2-3″ of rocks and gravel to the bottom of the container if it does not have drainage holes. Adding rocks or gravel prevents water from sitting and saturating the soil in the bottom of the pot. Lastly, use a potting soil mix with added nutrients a low or non-existent clay content, and peat moss.
Plant flower bulbs in containers at the same depth as bulbs planted in the ground.
Planting depth remains the same for bulbs planted in pots and in the ground. Proper planting depth ensures strong flowers, roots, and sturdy stems.
Bulbs planted in containers can and, in most cases, should be planted closer than when planted in the ground.
Often, the recommended spacing of a particular bulb is set to accommodate a more mature plant with a wider spread down the road. Since most bulbs planted in containers need to be replaced each year spacing for planned growth in subsequent years is not a factor. Bulbs should still be given adequate room to spread roots without having to fight too hard for resources. Space of 1-2″ between bulbs, regardless of variety, is plenty.
Fall-planted bulbs still require a chilling period when planted in a pot but, should not be allowed to freeze too solid.
This is one of the most important but also often the most difficult point to understand. As you may already be aware, most fall-planted bulbs require a cold period to bloom and grow correctly. Therefore, the bulbs need 8-14 weeks of temperatures consistently below 55 degrees F. Without this period of cold the bulbs will fail to bloom and grow as they should.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not really. If you live in hardiness zone 6 or lower, the deep freeze along with freeze/thaw cycles can be detrimental to the vulnerable bulbs. When planted in the ground, the bulb is insulated and often not impacted by the freeze and thaw cycles. The soil insulating the bulbs keeps the temperature and moisture consistent therefore preventing damage from fluctuations and extreme temperatures. However, when bulbs are in a planter above ground they are not getting the protection needed from the soil insulating the bulbs.
How to Insulate Pots With Flower Bulbs Planted in Them
The trick is to figure out a way to a) allow the bulbs to still be chilled, but b) prevent the soil from freezing too solid, causing injury to the bulbs. If you live in a cold climate with regular freezing temperatures, the pots will need to be insulated. Ideas for insulating pots above ground in winter are burlap, bubble wrap, straw bales, old blankets, or quilts.
When preparing to insulate the pots for winter, cover all exposed walls of the container as well as the top. The container can be left out in the elements on your porch, patio, or deck. If the pots are left outside place the pots near a building to increase protection from the elements. The pots can also be stored in a cool, unheated garage or shed. The garage or shed should have temperatures consistently below 55 degrees but also does not dip below freezing often.
In late winter or early spring when the severe threat of frost is gone, prepare for growth. Begin by removing the protective covering and moving the container back out of its storage area.
Bulbs planted in containers often bloom a bit earlier than usual.
Because of this somewhat artificial chilling process, bulbs in pots will often bloom a week or two earlier than the same bulbs planted in the ground. The more exposed soil within the pots tends to warm up quite a bit faster than the soil in the ground. Therefore, causing the bulbs to sprout and grow earlier.
After Care of Spring Flower Bulbs Planted in Containers
Be prepared to replace the bulbs planted within your container each year.
Because of the slight “manipulation” required to achieve proper growth and blooms, most bulbs will not last much longer than one season when grown in this way. This is not to say that you won’t have gorgeously beautiful blooms that first year; the process just tends to take quite a bit out of the bulbs, not leaving much for following springs.
Start planning what annuals you’d like to use when the bulbs have finished blooming!
One of the greatest things about growing fall-planted bulbs in containers is that it will give you gorgeous color in your pots far earlier than annuals will be available. Once they have finished blooming, they can easily be removed just in time for you to plant your favorite annuals, all using the same planter!
So there you have it planting bulbs in containers over winter, how to do it? The answer to the question I get asked probably at least 5 times per week 😉 And with good reason, too! Spring blooming bulbs are wonderful, and now you can enjoy them even in your containers!
