Flower Bulbs in Containers

So pretty and so easy to plant. Here’s how!

Container planting is made for gardening enthusiasts who like to surround themselves with color, scent and a sea of flowers and is especially suited for people who don’t have a garden.

Wherever you put your flower containers, they’ll create a colorful effect and you can make gorgeous miniature gardens anywhere.

An Enormous Choice of Containers

Planting in containers is really popular these days. No wonder, either. Because they come in so many materials, sizes and shapes – mini-gardening has become unbelievably versatile.

Flower Bulbs: The Best Choice

Rower bulbs are the best choice for container gardeners. With just a little bit of attention, they reward you with the beauty of a profusion of flowers – in full sun as well as in shade. By selecting flower bulbs according to their flowering period, or by combining them with other plants, you can have flowering plants all year long. If you’d like to enjoy glorious color from your flower bulbs as long as possible, plant different varieties in layers.

Remember Drainage!

When you plant flower bulbs in containers, drainage is very important. Make holes (at least 3/8 inch in diameter) at 6-inch intervals in the bottom of all containers you intend to use outside. Cover the holes with shards to keep the soil from stopping up the holes after watering.

Use Soil or Garden Compost

Both are suitable for use in containers. Press down on the soil a little as you fill the containers, and be sure that the soil is damp (but not soaked!).

Distance Between Bulbs and Planting Depth

In containers, flower bulbs can be planted closer together than in the garden. However, they should not touch each other or the side of the container. If you’re only planting one layer of bulbs, you can plant them at the same depth as you would in the garden, two times the height of the bulb (5-6 inches for large bulbs and 2-3 inches for small bulbs). If you want a nicely filled container, it’s also possible to plant the flower bulbs in more than one layer.

Protecting Against Frost

In Zone 1, with its heavy frosts, it is important to let the containers holding planted bulbs over-winter in a frost-free space or to cover such containers located outside with natural materials such as pine branches or other insulating material.

In Zone 3, it is advisable to store the bulbs in a refrigerator – never the freezer – for at least 6/8 weeks before planting.

Following this period (in November / December), the containers should be placed in a semi-shaded spot.

Planting in Layers

When planting in layers, avoid planting one bulb directly over another. See our tips with the three sample containers. You can also plant spring flowering-pansies or heather above the layer of flower bulbs you’ve planted in the container. Always water after planting.