Bulbs in Pots
Saturday November 07 2009
You don't need to have a garden to grow bulbs. In fact, they are extremely successful when grown in containers. The secret is to have perfect drainage: make sure that whatever container you use has enough drainage holes in the base to carry away excess moisture.
It is possible to get extra bulbs into a container by using a clever trick -- just layer different bulbs (or the same type) in three different layers. For example, you could have tulips on the bottom layer, hyacinth in the middle and crocus on top. They'll all come up and do their thing, but it's a way of fitting more bulbs into a small space.
I have used this with a very beautiful tulip called Estella Rijnveld. It's an outrageous parrot tulip, which has very flamboyant raspberry-red and white flowers. I was able to fit nearly 50 bulbs into one large pot --I put in a layer, filled it with compost to the tip of the bulbs then fit the others in between on top, repeating three times. It's amazing how they all come up together at the same time and flower at the same height. It looks much more luxuriant and it's a clever way of making a container look really full to the brim with colour.
When selecting a potting compost, make sure you choose one of the best quality. Again, the key here is choosing a free-draining compost. Some of the better brands have grit added, which will assist with this. It's not too late to do this job, and I encourage you to do it straight away, rather than leave the bulbs to dehydrate in the bag you purchased them in. Get them into containers quickly or into the ground if necessary. The quicker you plant them, the sooner they'll get going and you'll have a fantastic display to look forward to next year.
- Dermot O'Neill
Irish Independent
