Never Plant Bulbs in Exterior Containers or Raised Beds (2024)

FAQs

Never Plant Bulbs in Exterior Containers or Raised Beds? ›

Flower bulbs should never be planted in outdoor containers, window boxes

In fact, bulbs often do better in pots than in the ground because pots provide better drainage, critical for their long-term survival. Also, gophers and other underground creatures will be foiled since they can't find their juicy favorites, especially tulips.

I keep my potted bulbs outside on my patio until temperatures are consistently below freezing. In the mid-Atlantic region where I live (Maryland, zone 6), that can be as late as mid-December. Once freezing temperatures are here to stay, I move the pots to a more sheltered position.

Growing bulbs in pots will add a colorful accent to patios, decks, a balcony, or an entryway. In the confined space of a planter, you can squeeze in extra bulbs by layering them. Place a layer of soil at the bottom of your container. Place the largest bulbs at the bottom, such as Tulips or Alliums, and top with soil.

Spring bulbs in your pots and planters will not be as protected as they would be if they were planted in the garden. The amount of soil in a pot or container is much less than there would be in a garden. The small amount of soil in pots or containers is not enough to protect your bulbs from freezing temperatures.

In containers, bulbs can be planted less deeply and more closely packed together for greater impact, but the bulbs flower less well in the second year so are best replaced annually.

Step 1: Choose a Container

For example, for a 2-inch-tall daffodil bulb, use a 6-inch-deep pot (3 inches of soil, 2 inches for the bulb, 1-inch space at top). For a 1-inch-tall crocus bulb, use a 5-inch-deep pot (3 inches of soil, 1 inch for the bulb, 1-inch space at top).

The soil should stay only slightly moist through the winter. Place bait for mice and voles, which will happily make a meal of your bulbs if they aren't protected. Once temperatures rise above freezing in the spring, take your potted bulbs out of storage and let them emerge naturally outdoors.

I plant our bulbs in late October in containers with good drainage. In a 24-inch container I plant either 50 tulips, 30 large-flowered daffodils, 50 small-flowered daffodils, or 100 minor bulbs, like Crocus, Muscari, Scilla, or Iris species or cultivars.

You can either leave the bulbs in the pot for next year (while refreshing the soil and adding fertilizer) or remove them for storage in a cool, dry place until the next planting season. Inspect the bulbs during this process for any signs of disease or damage.

How many bulbs can I plant in a container? ›

When you're planting bulbs only in a container, you can place as many bulbs as you can fit on the soil, leaving ½” between each and following the planting instructions above, skipping step four.

Planting spring-blooming bulbs in containers is a wonderful way to enjoy the beauty of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other spring flowers. It's a great solution if your time, mobility or outdoor space is limited.

After those bulbs finish flowering many wonder if it's possible to place the plants in the soil so they will bloom next year. The short answer is yes, but some of these bulbs will return better than others. Here are some tips for success: After flowering finishes put these bulbs outside if they have been indoors.

The bulbs should be held in a location with temperatures between 35 and 45ºF and relative humidity of about 50%. An unfinished area of the basem*nt away from heat sources, a place in an unheated garage that does not freeze, or a root cellar can be ideal, but make sure the area is not too warm or too cold.

Potted spring bulbs fall into the same categories that many garden flowers fall into, such as hardy, perennial, and annual spring bulbs. Like outdoor flowering bulbs, potted bulbs may not return the second year, but others will continue to bloom for years, possibly decades, if they are correctly transplanted.

Your Best Light Bulb Choice

General-purpose LED bulbs fit standard light sockets and are the most energy-efficient option. LED bulbs have a lower wattage than incandescent bulbs — meaning they use less energy — but still have the same light output. LED bulbs can last more than 20 years and don't contain mercury.

In climates with cold winters, bulbs can be planted in the ground in fall, where they will chill long enough to develop spring blooms. Fall bulbs should be planted as soon as the ground is cool, when evening temperatures are consistently between 40° - 50°F.

Do I need to dig up my bulbs or can I leave them in the ground? Spring-blooming bulbs that are winter hardy, such as tulips, daffodils and crocus, can be left right in the ground. Summer bulbs such as dahlias, tuberous begonias and calla lilies, will not survive cold winters.