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aviolet6

Daffodil bulbs in pots

10 years ago

Has anyone successfully grown daffodils or tulips outside in pots? I find it very hard to dig deep enough in the clay soil here and I also rent, and the people that the landlord pays to take care of the yard mow down the plants in the spring. So I was wondering if I could plant them in 12 inch or 10 inch pots. The pots would be deep enough for the bulbs but I don't know if they could overwinter properly outside and bloom in the spring. Has anyone tried this and did it work? Thank you

Comments (9)

  • 10 years ago

    I have done it too. I am not sure, but I would think 7 should work. There is also a forum just for Bulbs, and some of those people probably use containers too, so if you have specific questions, I would post in both fora. I've received good advice there too.

    aviolet6 thanked Need2SeeGreen 10 (SoCal)
  • 10 years ago

    Good, maybe this is worth trying.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    It will work (unless they are drowned!). I am in z5, having no problems...Hardy to z3.

    aviolet6 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • 10 years ago

    I do it all the time, often with several types of bulbs (in same pot)
    to get sequential blooming (tulips, hyacinth, daffodils, crocus,
    snowdrops ....). Make sure you put your planting together in the fall
    and leave it to vernalize somewhere cold but where the bulbs won't
    freeze. For me, that's on the garage floor against the interior wall;
    then, put them out in spring when new shoots break the soil surface but
    bring them under cover if it drops much below freezing. Be sure to use a
    very fast-draining soil and toss a little snow on them from time to
    time over winter so the soil doesn't dry out completely. Bulbs rot
    easily, thus the 'fast' soil, so be careful that you don't over-water
    while over-wintering.
    You can make extra pots and bring them
    indoors after they have time to vernalize (starting early Feb for you if
    you keep them cold all fall/early winter). Once they bloom, move them
    to a cool spot at night to prolong the bloom life. The procedure
    described is called FORCING. (click link)

    aviolet6 thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
  • 10 years ago

    Well, I'm near Atlanta so it's not too cold here in winter but it does sometimes get down in the teens and 20s at night. I don't have a garage or cold room so if the pots can't stay outside and would be too warm inside, this might not work.

  • 10 years ago

    If you leave the pot outdoors and cover it with a box or tub to trap the earth's heat on those really cold nights, you should be fine.

    Al

    aviolet6 thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    I really don't worry about daffodils in containers, we get many days of -10 *F during the winter. I have some in concrete planter, and many in cheep plastic containers (ones that annuals are sold as 'hanging baskets'). As long as drainage is good and they don't sit in muck, they have np to overwinter.

  • 10 years ago

    That's amazing, that's awfully cold.