spring bulbs: late or temporary planting?
 

Hello,
I recently volunteered to be part of a new gardening group at work. We
start from scratch, so, the plan for this year is to have workshops
build 4 large containers (60x60x150cm) to put on our patio. Because it's
the first year and it was autumn we decided to just have a splash of
spring colour planting a lot of bulbs them. I was/am in charge of that
and bought a large number of various bulbs: early crocuses, irises
reticulatas, chionodoxas, large flowered crocuses, varied daffodils
(small,large, early, late), tulips (varied, early, late) and Hyacinths.
The problem is that we are now approaching the end of November and these
containers are yet to appear (and be filled with soil). I'm waiting for
the latest news but I guess they are not going to be ready for another
few weeks.

I am wondering if it would be better to plant (at least the small bulbs
and daffodils) in smaller pots very densely, to get them started and
transplant them in a few weeks in their final spot, or is it better to
leave them alone and plant them late? I guess tulips will be fine but I
worry about crocuses and daffodils.

I should say also that I am in Edinburgh and this patio is fairly
protected (not sure the recent frost affected it) and I've put the bulbs
in a outside shed where temperature is not too high.

Any advice for me?

Thanks

Philippe

spring bulbs: late or temporary planting?
 

On 22/11/16 08:39, gogo wrote:
Hello,
I recently volunteered to be part of a new gardening group at work. We
start from scratch, so, the plan for this year is to have workshops
build 4 large containers (60x60x150cm) to put on our patio. Because it's
the first year and it was autumn we decided to just have a splash of
spring colour planting a lot of bulbs them. I was/am in charge of that
and bought a large number of various bulbs: early crocuses, irises
reticulatas, chionodoxas, large flowered crocuses, varied daffodils
(small,large, early, late), tulips (varied, early, late) and Hyacinths.
The problem is that we are now approaching the end of November and these
containers are yet to appear (and be filled with soil). I'm waiting for
the latest news but I guess they are not going to be ready for another
few weeks.

I am wondering if it would be better to plant (at least the small bulbs
and daffodils) in smaller pots very densely, to get them started and
transplant them in a few weeks in their final spot, or is it better to
leave them alone and plant them late? I guess tulips will be fine but I
worry about crocuses and daffodils.

I should say also that I am in Edinburgh and this patio is fairly
protected (not sure the recent frost affected it) and I've put the bulbs
in a outside shed where temperature is not too high.

Any advice for me?

Thanks

Philippe

It really depends on what the bulbs are doing. If they have no shoots,
or shoots only a cm or two long, and the bulbs themselves aren't too
soft yet, you can hold on for another month and they should be ok. But
make sure they are kept cool until they are planted. I've only just
planted some old daff bulbs (possibly tete-a-tete) because the soil here
in the south was too dry to get them in more than a couple of cm down.

However, if the shoots are long (4 or 5 cm) then I would get them in
pots. You can always do one layer of bulbs quite deep, then another
layer above them if you are short of space. But, unless you can do it
without disturbance, I wouldn't try to replant them when the containers
finally appear.

--

Jeff

spring bulbs: late or temporary planting?
 

On 22/11/2016 08:39, gogo wrote:
Hello,
I recently volunteered to be part of a new gardening group at work. We
start from scratch, so, the plan for this year is to have workshops
build 4 large containers (60x60x150cm) to put on our patio. Because it's
the first year and it was autumn we decided to just have a splash of
spring colour planting a lot of bulbs them. I was/am in charge of that
and bought a large number of various bulbs: early crocuses, irises
reticulatas, chionodoxas, large flowered crocuses, varied daffodils
(small,large, early, late), tulips (varied, early, late) and Hyacinths.
The problem is that we are now approaching the end of November and these
containers are yet to appear (and be filled with soil). I'm waiting for
the latest news but I guess they are not going to be ready for another
few weeks.

I am wondering if it would be better to plant (at least the small bulbs
and daffodils) in smaller pots very densely, to get them started and
transplant them in a few weeks in their final spot, or is it better to
leave them alone and plant them late? I guess tulips will be fine but I
worry about crocuses and daffodils.

I should say also that I am in Edinburgh and this patio is fairly
protected (not sure the recent frost affected it) and I've put the bulbs
in a outside shed where temperature is not too high.

Any advice for me?

Thanks

Philippe

Yes its better to pot up and plant green later

--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
National collections of Clematis viticella & Lapageria rosea

spring bulbs: late or temporary planting?
 

Ok, thank you both for your replies. I checked the bulbs and there are
no visible growth/shoots, apart from a few tulips bulbs with just a
small bud growing. Also, they ar still pretty firm.I should have a
estimated time of arrival for the containers at the end of this week,
so, if it's not too long, I'll wait. If it is, I'll plant daffodils and
crocuses in pots in the mean time...