Spring-blooming bulbs create a blaze of color just when it’s most welcome — late winter and early spring. Nothing else announces spring more emphatically and lyrically. Planting bulbs in containers allows you freedom of movement to meet your needs. Place the containers nearby at bloom time for close-up viewing (and smelling, in some cases). Store the containers out-of-sight when your portable garden isn’t very interesting — during the several months when nothing shows above ground and the several months after bloom, when foliage is growing and then dying back.

Bulbs look fine in a wide variety of container shapes and styles. Choose containers that allow at least 2 inches of soil beneath the bulbs. The traditional container in which to grow spring bulbs is a clay or plastic bulb pan, a shallow pot l0 inches or larger in diameter and only 5 or so inches deep. These pots don’t hold much soil — which is perfectly okay for spring bulbs and their typical one-season stay in containers. For other kinds of bulbs, especially those that can live in containers for several years, make sure that roots have enough growing space. Pick containers at least 12 inches deep for lilies and other more permanent bulbs.

To brighten the dreariest winter days with sweet fragrance and spring colors, you can force (or trick) bulbs to bloom early indoors. Your best bets for forcing early blooms are crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. Because you have to move containers indoors when you force a bloom, you probably want smaller pots than for outdoor use. For example, try half a dozen tulips or daffodils in a 6- to 10-inch pot; one daffodil or tulip or three small bulbs (such as crocus) in a 4-inch pot.

Follow the steps for growing bulbs in containers. Start checking for roots and sprouts after two or three months (usually after New Year’s Day). When stored bulbs show 2- to 6-inch sprouts, bring them indoors to a cool room (60 degrees or so) to speed up the bloom season. A week or two later, when sprouts have buds that show a little color, move the bulbs into normal room temperature (a room that’s too warm shortens the bloom period) in a spot that gets as much sunlight as possible. Flowers should appear within the next week or so. Continue to keep the soil moist. When the plant finishes blooming, move the container outdoors and make sure that soil is kept moist until the leaves are dry, as suggested for bulbs grown outdoors.

Bulb Strategy

Having a strategy ahead of time can make all the difference in transforming your ugly bulbs into beautiful flowers worthy of the finest containers!

• To get the most for your money and effort, prominently display your containers of blooming bulbs. Keep the containers out of sight until the plants are ready to bloom and, when they finish blooming, move them out of the way where adequate water and sunlight is available for the rest of the growth period.
• Good timing is a must. You have to shop at the right time, plant at the right time, and follow directions for depth of planting and spacing.
• Planting just one bulb variety per pot ensures that all the bulbs in the pot will bloom at the same time. Mixing varieties in a container, on the other hand, results in flowers coming at different times, which has much less impact. If you want different flower colors and bloom times, grow different varieties in separate containers. You can use the same tactic to extend your blooming season, which is short for most bulbs.  ....read more