Grow Fall Bulbs in Containers for Dramatic Spring Colour
Planting bulbs in the fall is one of the best examples of delayed gratification. You tuck those tiny drab-coloured bulbs into the dirt, and in the spring: surprise! Loads of colourful flowers! They’re a little bit of work, for a lot of reward.
If you live in a condo building, or a rental, or just don’t have access to a vast garden, it might seem like growing flower bulbs is impossible. But, these wonderful spring blooms aren’t just for people who have yards. You can plant bulbs in pots, and they still do really well!
Create some stunning bulb displays in pots—they can be even more dramatic and bloom earlier than bulbs planted in the ground. It’s also a lot easier to protect your bulbs from hungry wildlife, like deer and squirrels, when they’re planted in containers. Plus, you’ll be able to move them around and arrange your beautiful planters however you like.
How to Plant Fall Bulbs in Pots for Spring Flowers
The best way to plant fall bulbs in containers is to layer them, lasagna style. This way, you can mix several different kinds (with different bloom times) in the same pot and create a lush planter that will have blooms for weeks on end as the flowers push through.
First, choose a few varieties that bloom sequentially (early spring to early summer, and even into late summer). Then add a layer of soil, then a layer of bulbs, then soil, then another layer of bulbs, then more soil, more bulbs, etc. Using a pot with drainage is critical because otherwise they are very likely to rot, especially in damp Powell River winters. Note: When layering, try to avoid having them touch one another, and layer them off-centre so the upper roots are not impinging on the lower bulbs.
Start with the bulbs that need to be the deepest on the bottom. Planting depth roughly correlates to the size of the bulb, so usually, tulips will be your bottom layer, and smaller varieties like squill and crocus will be nearer to the top. The bonus of container bulbs is that you can also plant them quite a bit closer together than you usually would in the ground. As long as each bulb has about an inch of room between it and the next, they’ll be fine.
How to Store Container Planted Bulbs
There is a bit of risk with planting in containers—the possibility of the pots freezing solid. Fall bulbs do need a sustained period of cold to break their dormancy. But, they shouldn’t freeze solid as that will kill the bulb. In the ground, bulbs are well insulated by the soil and by any snow layer on top.
You’ll need a place to store your container planted bulbs where they will be chilled but protected from freezing. If you have an unheated garage or carport, that should be perfect. Or a sheltered spot against the leeward, or downwind, side of your home will also work well.
If a really hard frost is predicted, you may need to add extra insulation around your pots to protect them. You can do a variety of things; clustering them all close together and against the wall of your house will help. You can also cover them with old sheets and blankets, tucking them in well to keep Jack Frost’s fingers out.
Spring Blooming Bulbs are Hitting Shelves Soon!
If you’re curious about trying some bulb containers this fall, make sure you get over to Mother Nature sooner than later to get the best selection. We’ve also got plenty of unique containers and potting soil to get you set up for a spring full of gorgeous flowering containers.