How to Plant Bulbs in Outdoor Containers
Gardening for food and for the aesthetic beauty of your garden is a rewarding hobby, and planting bulbs can accentuate that joy. Many flowers, such as tulips and daffodils, come as bulbs, as do a few vegetables, such as garlic. Bulbs can be planted in containers for gardens with limited space or for ease of transport. Knowing how to plant bulbs can contribute to a healthy and beautiful garden. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Prepare the soil so it can drain easily. Using a small rake or shovel, dig at the soil to make sure it is loose before planting your bulb. Make sure that the container has holes at the bottom so that the soil will drain properly. Although bulbs need water like any other plant, too much moisture will cause bulb rot.
-
2
Plant the bulbs at the the correct time. Plant bulbs in outdoor containers when the ground is cool before snow or frost. This allows the bulb to take root during the winter in time to bloom during the spring. Over the winter, keep the planted containers in an unheated shed or garage to correctly maintain the soil temperature.
-
-
3
Plant the bulb at the correct depth. Plant the bulb deeper the bigger it is. A good rule is to plant the bulb two or three times as deep as the size of the bulb itself. This will roughly correspond to between five and eight inches deep. The root of the bulb should be pointed downward, the pointy nose should be pointed upward, and the bulbs should be planted in clusters for maximum aesthetic effect.
-
4
Water after planting the bulbs. This gives the bulb the liquid it needs to start growing while moistening the soil. Continue to water the soil adequately. Since the bulb is planted deeply, you will need to water enough to get moisture to that depth. Refrain from over soaking the soil as this will cause the bulb to rot.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Put your planted bulb in a place that has a lot of sunlight.
Bulbs come with a great deal of stored nutrients, so bulbs do not need any fertilizer for the first bloom.
Avoid planting bulbs in terra cotta pots, as extreme temperature changes can crack the pot.
References
- Photo Credit pink tulip image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
