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Planting Bulb Planters

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I have just planted up some tubs for the coming Winter and Spring, using the following method:

Choose bulbs to cover as wide a flowering period as possible, keeping in mind, colour, height and fragrance.

In this instance, I have chosen:
White Snowdrops 4" (Feb);
Blue Irises 6" (Feb/March);
Yellow Daffodils 16" (March);
White, multi-headed Narcissi 14" (March/April)
Pink Tulips 14" (April/May).

This ensures that the summer bedding plants are ready to go in, just as the last spring flowers are dying back (that’s the theory, anyway!).

All bulbs should be planted to twice their depth. If shallower, they come up ‘blind’, which means that they produce leaves but no flowers.

Largest bulbs are planted first, smallest bulbs, last.

First step is to size up the bulbs

Then fill the planter with soil or, as I have done here, bulb fibre, to just below the point where the largest bulb will be twice its depth

Daffodils first.

Space them fairly wide apart and cover halfway.

Pop in the next size up, in this case, the Narcissi…

…which, again, are half covered…

…and followed by the tulips.

Next, this year’s daffodil bulbs, (which had been removed and replaced, in May, with summer bedding plants)…

…then, my favourites – Iris Reticulata.

The winter flowering plants are also added at this stage. Here, Wallflowers…

…and frost-resistant Winter Pansies.

Add the soil to the final, required level and firm in.

Last, but not least, the Snowdrops.

I push these right in…

…and smooth over with soil

Don’t forget to settle them down with a nice, cool drink!

That’s it, folks….easy peasy!

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Comments

 

Yes - nice one! I layer my containers, too - it makes such a difference, doesn't it! :-))

15 Sep, 2009

 

Good idea !

15 Sep, 2009

 

Well now I know how its done I shall blatently copy............... :~))

15 Sep, 2009

 

It certainly does, SH.
Shhhh I might charge, ID
Thanx H
lol

16 Sep, 2009

 

I think I saw them doing this on Gardeners' World a couple of years ago, maybe...so I've done it ever since.

16 Sep, 2009

 

they pinched my idea!!

16 Sep, 2009

 

Definitely. You should sue them!

16 Sep, 2009

 

I wondered how people do that?
will look very nice

x x x

21 Sep, 2009

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