Growing Spring Bulbs in Pots

Pot Guide

Bulbs are perfect in pots to decorate a sunny patio, entrance or court yard. Because they are portable they can be moved to brighten up an otherwise dull spot. When they are in full flower they can be brought indoors for a few days so your friends can gasp at your gardening prowess.

What type of pot?

Once you decide which bulbs you want to grow (see symbol in catalogue for appropriate varieties) your first job will be to make a suitable pot selection. Bulbs need space for healthy roots to grow so choose a pot at least 15-20cm high as a minimum. Try and avoid black plastic pots or other heat absorbing materials. Spring flowering bulbs grow best in cool winter climates and will not appreciate being in a pot that over heats the soil every time the sun comes out. In this way, larger pots are best especially in light coloured materials or natural terracotta. Make sure the pots have a hole in the base as bulbs must remain well drained.

What type of soil?

Use a good quality potting mix with added fertiliser. Most stores now sell mix made to the Australian standard.

How many bulbs do I need?

Bulbs look best in pots planted fairly close together, so dont be scared to crowd the pot a little. As a rough guide follow the table below for a brilliant display:

How do I plant them?

As a general rule plant large bulbs such as hyacinth, daffodil and tulip with about 10cm of soil on top of the bulb. Plant small bulbs such as muscari, tritelia and freesia about half that depth. Top up the mix after the first watering as necessary.

What position is best?

For the first few weeks keep the soil damp and place the pot in the shade. This will allow a healthy root system to develop in cool ground. Once the first shoots appear above the soil, move the pots into a sunny position. Remember pots do not hold moisture like a garden bed so regular watering will be important.

Can I grow different varieties together?

A final word of advice. When starting out, grow one variety and one colour to each pot. This will ensure a huge display of colour at flowering time. Different species and even different varieties within one species will often flower at varying times, giving a display without much impact.

Do I need to fertilise the bulbs in pots?

In much the same way as bulbs in the ground benefit from fertilising, bulbs in pots benefit from fertilising not so much for the current year’s flowers but for building up the bulb for next year’s flowers. This is particularly important for pots as the bulb’s root system and hence its ability to feed, is generally more restricted in a pot. Feeding the bulbs after flowering, removing spent flowers and allowing the leaves to die down naturally is even more important for bulbs in pots. The advantage of pots is that you can move them out of sight whilst they die down.