If you bought a bunch of bulbs back in fall but never got around to getting them into the ground, you can still save them and get blooms by Easter.
But you better not delay! There are a few steps to planting spring bulbs in winter. Here are a couple of methods you can do right now.
Tulips and Daffodils require a min of 12 weeks for a rooting period in cool damp soil. Simply place them in a pot with at least 2 inches of soil below them and a little bit of room around each bulb, try not to let them touch each other. Cover with soil and water it in.
Place the pots in a cold dark garage or cellar where they will not freeze. When we plant them at their proper depths in the ground, the upper frozen crust protects the bulbs in winter. This will not happen in smaller above ground pots, they will probably freeze all the way through.
If you don't have a garage or other outdoor space where they won't freeze, you can place the pots in a refrigerator. This works great for those who have a second fridge that has some extra room during the months of January to March.
What do you do if you live in a place where winters are warm?
If you live in Florida for instance, it can be tough to grow tulips as they require that cold period. But here again you can cheat. For that situation, place your bulbs in a paper bag and put them at the back of your refrigerator a minimum of 8 weeks prior to planting. Plant them in late December or January if you live in a warmer climate.
After the cold period, move your pots to a warm sunny location. It will be late winter and not much sun, but the outside temperature will be warming up and the ground will no longer be frozen solid. It won't be long before you see them push up out of the soil.
Once this happens, you can add primrose or pansies to your planters gently working around the emerging bulbs. Your bulbs will bloom approximately 2-4 weeks after you start the warming period.
If you do this in early January, you will be on target to have beautiful blooming planters around Easter or by the end of April.
Having a gorgeous year round no hassle container with little requires a little planning, but if done right... plants will run from one season into the next with just a few tweaks in between.
My planters look amazing from March to December with minimal investment of time or money. Of course, there is the necessary watering in the hot months, but with the right plants, your containers will be spilling with fabulous color if you just follow these simple steps.
Check out my eBook with full instructions, plant suggestions, colorful graphics and a season by season guide to gorgeous containers. Just click on the picture below to read more!
Peace Love Garden
