Forcing Bulbs for Outdoor Containers

Here in Zone 5b, cast iron, concrete or limestone containers above ground freeze during the winter, so if you plant bulbs in them in the fall, they will be mush before spring. In order to have tulips, daffodils, narcissus and hyacinths in my containers, I start the bulbs in the ground over the winter, then put them in the container in the spring.

Someone asked me about the bulbs I select and how I force them to use in my outdoor urns and pots around the garden, so this year I took some photos as I planted the pots.

Here is my end goal - a display of tulips in an urn next spring.

Last year I forced hyacinths for a concrete tub (I love the creamy-yellow look and strong scent of these "City of Haarlem".

To start, I select a plastic pot that will fit inside the outdoor container I want to fill next spring. For the large limestone urn (42" diameter), I use five 15" pots arranged in a circle. Some years I also plant daffodils or hyacinths in individual peat pots to place in the gaps between the pots in the circle. This adds variety to the display and fills in the spaces.

Here I used "Thalia" narcissus in between the larger pots.

Last weekend I planted the pots for my urns. I use plastic pots because the terra cotta pots are too heavy and tend to 'flake' if they are left outdoors (even in the ground). It doesn't matter what color you use (or even if they match), since they will not be seen.

I fill the pots (about half full) with potting soil. I use a prepared moisture control potting mix that I buy at a garden center in 2 cubic foot bags.

I then arrange the bulbs in the pots so they are at least 1" apart. Any closer than that and they will get rootbound and the blooms will not be as large.

I place the bulbs so the flat side goes against the side wall of the pot. This will help to keep the leaves and stems of the tulips upright as they grow. In the center of the pot I place the bulbs so all of the flat sides are back-to-back.

Fill the pot to the rim with potting soil and you're ready to sink it into the ground for the winter.

.

I have set aside an area in my garden that I use as my winter 'holding' area. If I didn't use this area, I could sink the pots in areas of the garden where there are no perennials. Optimally, the site should have some winter sun - this bed is shady in the summer, but during the winter, when the leaves are off the trees, it gets some sun.

During the summer this is a bed of annuals (this year it also held a red banana tree). A recent frost claimed the begonias in this bed and I dug up the banana to hold in the basement for the winter (I strip off the leaves and knock the dirt off the roots to allow it to go dormant in a dark room). I had the bed tilled and I would have placed the pots in the ground by now, but we've had three days of rain, and I don't like to dig in the mud.

After I planted the pots, I set them on the patio until I'm able to get into the bed to sink them for the winter. When I can, I'll dig a hole for the pots and line it with mulch (I use the least expensive mulch I can find - usually cypress - about $2.49 for a 2 cubic foot bag). The mulch serves two purposes - it allows excess moisture to drain away from the pots (so the bulbs don't rot) and if some bulb roots grow through the drain holes in the pots, they won't be damaged when you pull the pots out in the spring.

The rims of the pots should be at about ground level (or slightly below). Fill in between the pots with mulch and then give the whole area about a 3" layer of mulch for protection over the winter.

A really great "how to", Leawood.

How did you find out that treating your banana like that over the winter would work? After you cut off the leaves and knock the dirt off the roots, do you just store it dry in a paper bag for the winter?

great deal of info there, thanks a bunch!!

Hey Leftwood!

I've grown the green variety of bananas for years - the gardener who gave me the first one 15 years ago told me what to do to hold it over the winter. Since then, it's been mostly experimentation. The red banana is WAY too big for a paper bag - it's about 8' tall. Last winter I laid it on its side on the floor, but in early spring it sent out a shoot straight up, so this year I'm standing it in a large tub, leaning against the wall.

Here's what the green variety looks like when you dig it up. The 'pup' growing off the side will become a new plant next year.

So does the original stalk die over the winter?

The stalks are about 90% water, so over the winter the outside layers will dry somewhat, but the stalk will still be rigid and full of life inside. When I plant them in the spring, I leave the dry sheaths on the stalk until new leaves come out of the top. The dry parts will come off naturally during the summer.

Banana plants are biannual, meaning they do not bloom the first year, but at the end of the second year (when they may or may NOT bloom), they die. The largest stalk in the photo will get planted next spring. If it doesn't grow, it will put out 'pups' around the base and the large stalk will wither.

Always learning. Thanks, Leawood.

LeawoodGardener,

Thank you for sharing . Awesome info!!

It was sunny yesterday, so I decided to get my pots of tulips buried today, before more rain came down. The soil was very heavy, but I got my hole dug and lined with mulch before the rain started.

I planted the last three pots (two large pots of parrot tulips and one large pot of hyacinths) and put them in the hole just as the rain began.

A heavy layer of mulch and they are ready to sleep for the winter. Next March I'll pull them up and place them in the urns in my yard.

Great tutorial, Leawood! You always have such nice displays and great design flair.

Here is one of the pots after it was lifted from the holding bed today. I'm a couple weeks later than usual this year, because we've had so much snow and rain. Normally I pull them up about the 15th of March.

I put the pots of parrot tulips in these urns. Hopefully, they won't get too tall and leggy and be susceptible to the wind. I normally choose short to mid-height tulips for the urns, but I was lured by the vision of a bouquet of parrot tulips on my patio... we'll see.

This message was edited Mar 28, 2010 10:57 AM

I planted the pot of hyacinths in an urn by my side entrance to the garden - again, I hope my vision hasn't caused me to make a bad decision. This area only gets a couple hours of sun - I hope the hyacinths develop properly. My goal was to have a big display of blooms and sweet aroma to greet guests as they walk back to the garden.

I planted a couple of small (6") pots with tulips to go in the urns by the garage door.

The warm weather on Wednesday and Thursday (temps in the 80's) and rain on Friday has caused the bulbs to grow rapidly. I hope we get sustained cool weather so their blooms last a little longer.

Thanks for your great ideas. I planted tulips, hyacinths, fritillaria and crocus (and maybe something else) in 35-gallon containers on my deck because I thought we might be moving. I planted them pretty deep and in layers. I also planted a few in the ground as well.

Everything is now up. The few plants in the ground, especially the fritillaria and crocus, seemed to sprout at the same time as the container plants. However, the plants in the ground have exceeded my expectations. The crocus blooms seem to be 1.5 times the size of those in containers. The fritillaria in the ground is 3 times the size of those in containers. I think I'm going to try your method.

It's amazing what a few warm days can do to bulbs you place in containers! In just 10 days the hyacinths I set out have bloomed - unfortunately, heavy rain and wind yesterday took a toll on these fragile flowers. Two large pale blue blooms were broken off completely. They look (and smell) great in a vase beside the sink in my bathroom.

This message was edited Apr 6, 2010 5:23 PM

Even the bulbs I planted in the urns by the garage have grown dramatically.

Tete 'a' Tete Narcissus in a cement pot.

I enjoyed reading this thread, very nice!

More wind, rain and hail. These hyacinths have taken a beating, but there are still a few left blooming.

Leawood, love your urn garden plantings! So picturesque!

Here is the large limestone urn in front of my house. This year I used a double yellow tulip with red flame ('Monsella') and hoped that they would bloom about the same time as the large bed of yellow tulips ('Mrs. John Scheepers') in the yard. Looks like I'll miss that by a few days, since the bed of tulips is just starting to show color.

The 'Monsella' is a sturdy tulip that does well in a container like this. Since the blooms are double, it gives more color than a single tulip.

LeawoodG.,

FYI Your photos have inspired me and I went out this morning and bought 2 urns (and some other cast stone stuff~~like a fountain) from Unique Stone Co. Now I have to get busy!

Hardscape makes such a nice addition to the garden. I enjoy having pots and urns and tubs of plants all over the place.

While taking down the Christmas lights in the tall blue spruce in the yard yesterday, I discovered the best vantage spot for viewing the tulips in my limestone urn - from the top of a 16' ladder! LOL

Double tulips like these 'Monsella' are actually prettiest when viewed from above, which is a challenge, when they are in an urn, 5' above ground.

Oh, yes, beautiful.

I indoor forced Monsella a couple of years ago and enjoyed them on our kitchen table.

Hi LeawoodGardener
I read you posts about forcing your bulbs in the pots to have for spring. You have me really inspired to try some bulbs in the fall. I have heard that when you force bulbs they are no longer good to replant the next year. Is this correct? Thank you so much, I loved all the information that you covered.
Shirley