Tag: bulbs

How to Grow Bulbs in a Container Garden

Bulbs don’t seem to get enough credit. They’re easy to plant, easy to care for, and their colorful blooms can be enjoyed year after year. So why don’t more of us take advantage of them? If you’re looking to spruce up an entryway, patio, or sunroom, look no further than with a bulb container garden. And if you’ve never planted bulbs (or anything else for that matter), don’t worry — we’ve covered everything from buying to planting.

What is a bulb?

Nope, it’s not the thing you stick into a light socket. In botany, a bulb is a circular stem with fleshy leaves for a base. The bulb of a plant stores food and its organs during winter dormancy, which is what allows the flower to bloom every year.

container gardening with Gladiolus Bulbs

What is a container garden?

A container garden is just that: a small garden or collection of plants in a large container. But before you start picturing plants growing out of your Tupperware, we’re here to tell you container gardens are just as exquisite and colorful as traditional ones. And unlike regular gardens, container gardens are perfect for people who don’t have time to take care of a full landscape or are new to groundskeeping altogether. Best of all, they’re amazingly versatile and a great way to introduce some greenery into a small apartment or home without much yard space.

Selecting bulbs

The quality and longevity of your flowers depend on the types of bulbs you get. You want to find bulbs that are plump and firm. Soft, squishy bulbs or ones that have mold on them have started to decay and won’t produce beautiful flowers (or really anything for that matter). You also want to pick the largest of the bunch because those are the ones that will sprout the most flowers. We here at 1-800-Flowers.com know just how exciting it is to care for your flowers and watch them grow — that’s why many of our bulbs ship right to your door, rooted and sprouted!

Caring for your bulbs

You never want your bulbs to spend much time above ground, so the minute they arrive, plant them in soil. The best time to plant them is when the ground is cool and evening temperatures range between 40 and 50° F (aka, now)!

Where to plant bulbs

Whether you decide to stick with a traditional ceramic pot or get a little more creative and use an old toolbox or wooden barrel, the actual container isn’t as important as its location. Containers should be placed somewhere that receives direct sunlight for anywhere from six and eight hours a day.

Tulip Container Garden

4 tips for planting bulbs

These best practices will help you get the most out of your bulbs and ensure they keep coming back year after year.

1. Place them deep enough

Finding the right depth to plant your bulbs can be tricky. A good rule of thumb is to dig a hole about two or three times deeper than the height of the bulb. So, if the bulb is 3 inches tall, dig a hole about 6–9 inches deep.

2. Use the right soil

Because bulbs are planted deep in the ground, they tend to do best in well-drained soil (soil that lets water travel through it quickly and evenly).

3. Place them right-side up

If you get bulbs that have a tip or pointed end on one side, plant them so that that end is the one popping out of the ground. If your bulb is more circular, the end with roots growing is the side you place in the ground.

4. Water them well

Despite their different appearance, bulbs act just like seeds — which means they need plenty of water to lay down roots and grow. Ideally, you should water your bulbs every other day.

If you still want the benefit of having a garden without actually going through the process of planting it yourself, you’re in luck! We offer beautiful tulip, iris, and sweet springtime bulb container gardens.

Picture of banner ad for spring bulb event

The Beauty of Bulbs

There’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to flowering bulbs. Also known as “packaged plants,” a flower bulb is a circular mass that contains food and tissue (it looks like an onion!). In layman’s terms, it’s a self-contained flower factory, with everything a flower needs to grow held right there in the bulb.

flower bulbs with bulbs growing in a plastic pot

8 little-known facts about bulbs

  1. Though almost all bulb flowers bloom in the spring, they should be planted in the late fall, before the first hard freeze.
  2. Without a few cold months to sleep and set, certain bulbs can’t bloom. (Sorry to those of you in perpetually sunny Florida and California — but, on the bright side, we deliver!)
  3. Tulips, arguably the most popular bulb flower, have been around for centuries, far longer than some other spring flower favorites. Tulips were first found sprouting in the valleys and mountains of West Asia, where temperatures range from sweltering hot to ice cold.
  4. Speaking of tulips, tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in 1600s Holland. This was during the height of tulip mania.
  5. Though we don’t suggest trying it, some recipes still found today say you can substitute tulip bulbs for onions.
  6. If you’re in the market for bulbs, always choose the largest, hardest ones — those are the healthiest.
  7. Some bulbs have what appears to be two “heads,” or points. These bulbs will sometimes sprout two flowers.
  8. Several flowers that bloom from bulbs, including tulips, are known for being almost perfectly symmetrical.

4 reasons bulbs are so beloved

Why are bulbs, especially when compared to seeds, held in such high regard? The answer lies in their beauty, simplicity, and variety.

1. They’re easy to care for

Because bulbs store most of what a plant needs in order to grow, people often refer to the care they need as “dig, drop, done.” This makes them an excellent gift for those new to gardening or who don’t have much time on their hands. Just remember to always plant with the point up unless the bulb has two points (this is rare)! The tip should not be more than an inch to an inch and a half below the soil line.

2. They’re stunning

Don’t let their easygoing nature fool you — the flowers that sprout from bulbs are completely out of the ordinary and exquisite. Some of your favorite flowers, such as tulips, lilies, hyacinths, daffodils, and canna, come from bulbs, and there’s a good chance you didn’t even realize it!

3. Their variety is seemingly endless

Both in looks and durability, bulbs are incredibly versatile. Whether your garden sits in the hot California sun or under the clouds of upstate New York all day, there are bulbs on the market to suit any garden type.

4. They last for years

Once planted, flowering bulbs can return year after year, as long as the foliage is left to yellow after the flower has faded.

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