Newby container planting questions
 

Hi!

I'm totally new to gardening - but I'm wanting to try plant some bulbs to
flower in spring in some containers.

All the packaging says that the bulbs should be planted about 10cm apart -
is that true? I've seen some websites where it says to plant them 'shoulder
to shoulder' - if I want loads of flowers in one container, can I really
only plant a few bulbs? I'm thinking of all the typical spring bulbs, like
tulips, daffodils, Iris etc etc.

Also, can I plant some things that flower now, or even evergreen plants in
the same containers or will that stunt the growth of the bulbs? Just to
make the containers look like something all year round?

Can anyone recommend a good website for total newbies like me to get more
'idiot-proof' info like this (so I wont be asking you guys all these idiot
questions!) ?

Wow - lots of questions - Thanks in advance! I'm so excited about starting
this - and I don't want to mess it up!

BJ

Can anyone recommend a good website for total newbies like me to get more
'idiot-proof' info like this (so I wont be asking you guys all these idiot
questions!) ?


Here is a "recipe" for winter/spring containers:
http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php...58&Item id=99

Bjan wrote:
Hi!

I'm totally new to gardening - but I'm wanting to try plant some
bulbs to flower in spring in some containers.

All the packaging says that the bulbs should be planted about 10cm
apart - is that true? I've seen some websites where it says to
plant
them 'shoulder to shoulder' - if I want loads of flowers in one
container, can I really only plant a few bulbs? I'm thinking of
all
the typical spring bulbs, like tulips, daffodils, Iris etc etc.

Also, can I plant some things that flower now, or even evergreen
plants in the same containers or will that stunt the growth of the
bulbs? Just to make the containers look like something all year
round?
[...]

You can certainly overplant your bulbs in containers just as you
might in the ground. But you'll need to give the pots liquid feeds
while the overplantings are in growth. On the whole, I think it's
better to keep the bulbs separate, though.

On planting distance, it's best to treat container displays of bulbs
as disposable, as they don't usually perform for a second year; so
packing them in close won't matter. The spacing you've been given is
for the open ground: but even there you shouldn't stick to it
exactly, or you'll get an unnatural effect.

Once they've flowered in the containers, you can plant the bulbs out
in the garden, and they should recover in a couple of years. (Not
hyacinths, though: they flower sparsely outdoors after being in pots,
but will probably never recover fully.)

--
Mike.

In article , Bjan
writes
Hi!

I'm totally new to gardening - but I'm wanting to try plant some bulbs to
flower in spring in some containers.

All the packaging says that the bulbs should be planted about 10cm apart -
is that true? I've seen some websites where it says to plant them 'shoulder
to shoulder' - if I want loads of flowers in one container, can I really
only plant a few bulbs? I'm thinking of all the typical spring bulbs, like
tulips, daffodils, Iris etc etc.

The bulbs that you want to flower this spring will have already formed
their flowers (that's why you can flower a hyacinth in a jar of water),
so the growing conditions this year will determine *next* year's
flowers.

If you're happy for your container bulbs to have a year's rest before
they start flowering in their eventual home in the garden (it's hard to
keep bulbs flowering year after year in a container, unless they're tiny
enough for the container to feel like open ground to them) then you can
pack them in as tightly as you like, even, sometimes, putting them in a
couple of overlapping layers (you can do this with daffodils). If you
see crocuses at flower shows, they are planted tightly together to give
a mass of flowers.

Also, can I plant some things that flower now, or even evergreen plants in
the same containers or will that stunt the growth of the bulbs?

As above - the overcrowding won't upset the spring flowers.

That said, some of the bulbs might keep going for ever - the very tiny
daffs, perhaps. I had some containers going for years which had a
selection of heathers and in autumn tiny hardy cyclamen which would push
up through the heathers.

It's probably a matter of taste, but I find shorter bulbs do better in
containers - things up to about 6 inches high are less inclined to flop.
Dwarf tulips, daffodils, scilla are all good.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Bjan" wrote in message
.uk...
Hi!

I'm totally new to gardening - but I'm wanting to try plant some bulbs to
flower in spring in some containers.

Hi,
You certainly can pick and mix bulb planting in containers, snowdrops around
edge grape hyacinth, daffs especially tete a tete, narcissi especially the
multi flowered ones mix with chinodoxa, plus others i cant recall now, but
most shops sell bulbs in packets. You could have containers flowering from
February to June with the right mix.
Now as to aftercare, as soon as flowering is over start feeding with
phostrogen, half strength first with smaller bulbs, then full strength as
larger bulbs finish flowering, this period is when bulbs are fattening up to
set the flower for the next year, come June July cease feeding and allow to
die back naturally, leave containers somewhere sheltered from midday sun for
summer to allow a dormant period, and bring back for display as soon as
leaves appear.
No reason why this will not last for many years, or at least until container
requires splitting.
Just have fun with the mix of bulbs and be pleasantly surprised.
Sorry about the length of this post, hope I havent sent anyone to sleep.
regards
Cineman



All the packaging says that the bulbs should be planted about 10cm apart -
is that true? I've seen some websites where it says to plant them
'shoulder to shoulder' - if I want loads of flowers in one container, can
I really only plant a few bulbs? I'm thinking of all the typical spring
bulbs, like tulips, daffodils, Iris etc etc.

Also, can I plant some things that flower now, or even evergreen plants in
the same containers or will that stunt the growth of the bulbs? Just to
make the containers look like something all year round?

Can anyone recommend a good website for total newbies like me to get more
'idiot-proof' info like this (so I wont be asking you guys all these idiot
questions!) ?

Wow - lots of questions - Thanks in advance! I'm so excited about
starting this - and I don't want to mess it up!

BJ