Overwintering Bulbs in Containers: How To Store Container Bulbs for Next Year's Blooms
In the dead of winter, a bright tulip or hyacinth plant can be a welcome addition to a dreary environment. Bulbs are easily forced to bloom out of season, and bulbs in pots are a common gift during the holidays. But once the blooms are spent and the plant dies back. Storing bulbs in pots is a great way to overwinter plants for another year of flowering. How to store flower bulbs in pots? Simulating nature as much as possible is the best way to ensure their survival.
Can You Store Bulbs in Containers?
Whether your potted bulb is living indoors or out, once the bulb becomes dormant it needs to be stored somewhere protected. Overwintering container bulbs depends on the type of plant you have. Tender bulbs, such as some types of elephant ear, can't handle being frozen, so they have to be moved before freezing weather arrives. Other plants that are more comfortable with freezes, such as crocus and tulip, need to be treated differently.
Tips for Storing Flower Bulbs in Pots
Storing flower bulbs is a matter of allowing the dormant bulb to be safe until it can grow roots and continue its growth pattern. Can you store bulbs in containers? Tender perennial bulbs should be treated this way, by moving the container to a protected cool spot such as a garage, a basement, or a protected porch. For hardier plants, deadhead the flowers when they wither and clip off dead leaves. Store the planted bulbs in a cool place through the summer while they are dormant. Plant them outdoors in the garden when fall arrives, to allow them to create more roots for next year's growth.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
-
Are Amaryllis Plants Poisonous To Cats? How You Can Tell – And What To Grow Instead
The holiday season is a perfect time to showcase your favorite Christmas blooms, but are amaryllis plants poisonous to cats? Here’s how to keep felines safe and well
By Mary Ellen Ellis
-
Reese Witherspoon’s Natural DIY Wreath Beams With Festive Joy – Here’s How She Made It
Be inspired to recreate Reese Witherspoon's beautiful holiday wreath using greenery from your garden with our step-by-step guide to getting the look.
By Melanie Griffiths
-
Pretty Spring Bulbs For Pollinators
What are the best flowering bulbs for pollinators in spring? Click here to find out.
By Mary Ellen Ellis
-
Grow An Early Spring Flowering Bulb Lawn
Want a lawn that nourishes pollinators, never needs weeding, and grows more beautiful every year? We have the lawn for you. Click for more.
By Caroline Bloomfield
-
When To Dig Up Bulbs That Bloom In Summer
Click here to learn when to dig up faded summer bulbs of some of the most common ornamentals grown.
By Tonya Barnett
-
Corms, Tubers, And Bulbs That Are Deer Resistant
We love tulips, and so do deer! If you have hungry deer and you hunger for spring blooms, this article should help.
By Amy Grant
-
Care for Bulbs After Blooming
It's tempting to chop down the leaves after you bulbs have bloomed, but you have to resist this urge! Click to learn why.
By Amy Draiss
-
Best Spring Bulbs for Sun and Shade: Bulbs That Grow in Shade and Full Sun
Bulbs are beautiful harbingers of spring. Most flower bulbs thrive in full sun, but what if you have a shaded landscape? Read on for more.
By Amy Grant
-
Bulb Life Cycle In Winter: What Bulbs Do For Months Under The Snow
Dormancy in winter doesn't mean nothing is happening with bulbs. It just means you don't see any growth above the ground. Read on for more.
By Bonnie L. Grant
-
How To Plant Bulbs In Pots - Lasagna Style
Planting bulbs in containers is an easy way to create a gorgeous spring porch arrangement, especially when you use the lasagna method.
By Laura Walters