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22 comments to Potted bulbs

• Edie

  February 26th, 2005 at 12:34 am · Reply

  I am looking for information on how to care for my new hyacinth plant I newly bought at a local grocery store, I live in Ohio and it is very cold now, It smelled and looked beautiful, but after a few days is dying HELP

  How long your bulb will last depends on how far along your hyacinth was when you bought it. If it was in full bloom chances are that it is finished blooming and is on its way out. When purchasing bulb plants , pick ones that have slight color but not open, this will give you more time to enjoy the whole blooming process. Also, keep it in a cool environment, the warmer the room the quicker it will bloom and die. If the flower is bending over (drooping) then it could be a temperature/light or watering problem. Sometimes when the bulbs are forced indoors they develop a shallow root system and when brought into a warm room they grow so fast that the flower head gets too heavy to hold up the flower head. Let it die back and follow the instructions above. Plant it outdoors when the weather permits. Hyacinths like moist springs and dry summers

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• paula cooper

  March 29th, 2005 at 3:31 pm · Reply

  I am wondering how to care for a potted iris. Do I leave it in pot till fall, or plant it now (March), if not, do i water it in pot? Thank you ! paula

  I am assuming that you have a potted dwarf iris.Treat it the same way you would potted tulips. Once its done blooming continue to water but let the foliage die back. When the leaves start to yellow reduce watering. You can leave it in the pot till fall or if you don’t want to store it, plant it in your flower bed and mark it so you know where it is. Look for it to come back next year.

• Maureen Murray

  April 3rd, 2005 at 4:17 pm · Reply

  i RECEIVED POTTED TULIPS FOR EASTER AND WOULD LIKE TO PLANT THEM OUTSIDE IN THE FALL. dO i LEAVE THEM IN THE POT? WHEN DO I TAKE THEM OUT?

  You can let the foliage die back in the pot and save it for fall planting or you can plant them in the ground as soon as you can dig. I find it’s easier to store them in the ground than trying to save them in the pot and hopefully remember to plant them in the fall.

• Kristina

  April 20th, 2005 at 9:04 pm · Reply

  I received potted tulips as a birthday gift, but I don’t know how to care for them in terms of how much and with what frequency to water them, if they should be kept in the sun or shade, etc. I am away at college for another month and would like to keep these beautiful flowers healthy until I can get them home and into a more permanent situation.

  The life span of potted tulips is at best 2 weeks given the right conditons. Water them when the pot feels light and the surface of the soil is dry. It is best to keep them in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Warm temperatures will encourage the flower to “blow” open and shorten the life span. Once the flowers are done blooming, cut off the flower heads and continue to water allowing the foliage to keep growing in the pot. By the time you get home the leaves may be dying back (yellowing). Save your pot of bulbs and plant in the fall or spring outdoors.

• Teresa

  April 21st, 2005 at 6:12 pm · Reply

  Hi! I am in zone 3 and I planted a pot of tricolor crocus and crocus species, and a pot of anemone blanda last fall. Once the snow started to melt I tipped the pots so the water would drain off. About a week ago it started to warm up, so I removed the mulch. So far nothing is happening, mom-in-law seems to think they should be popping up as well. She suggested that I dig some of the bulbs to see if they were rotten, but I’m not sure what they should be like at this time of year. The ones I dug up were kind of soft, but not mushy. The insides were kind of offwhite and soft. Can you give any expertise? Thanks

  If you didn’t bury the pot deep enough chances are that they froze or were in too wet soil. Wait and see what happens if they are rotten you will eventually find out. The bulbs should be firm and have some roots and a green shoot by now. Anemone blanda is a cold-hardy tuber but may not have survived the winter as it tolerates maximum cold temperatures of minus 10.

• liz

  July 29th, 2005 at 8:34 am · Reply

  How do I deadhead snapdragons

  Pinch off the faded flowers and remove the seeds pods (little green balls). When the stem is finished blooming, cut the spike back to the first set of leaves to encourage new side shoots. Snapdragons like cooler temperatures and slow down in the summer, they should perk up again in the fall.

• Linda Miller

  August 3rd, 2005 at 4:01 am · Reply

  I would like to use shredded newspaper as a mulch. Can I use the colored paper also or will it hurt my plants?

  Research has found that, newspaper print both black and colored are safe to use in the garden because of the soy based inks that are used. The colored shiny paper from inserts or magazines may contain unsafe chemicals in the ink as well as the paper that is bleached with dioxin. Newspaper mulch can help control weeds, conserve moisture and minimize soil erosion. Because it is inert, it will not improve the soil and as with most mulches, it will deplete the soil of nitrogen when it finally decomposes. There are many alternative choices eg: straw, untreated grass clippings, leaves, wood chips…

• Roberta

  August 17th, 2005 at 7:23 am · Reply

  I was forced to dig up some bulbs yesterday. I would like to replant this fall. I rinsed them and am drying them, with some perlite. What else should I do so that they will grow when I replant them in September?

  The most important factor for reblooming is whether the bulbs had a chance to die back its leaves. They need to put back the nutrition required for next years bloom. In Sept. when you plant work up the soil, add organic material and a “bulb booster” for good root development. Sprinkle the fertilizer on top of the soil not in the hole and water it in.

• Sheetal

  January 10th, 2006 at 12:12 pm · Reply

  Hi I received a potted Tulip 5 days back. I watered it a little bit to keep the soil moist. But since yesterday i have noticed that the foliage is going yellow. Even the new sprouts are not green and healthy. What did i do wrong? how can i save it?

  Since you had it for 5 days, I am going to assume that the plant has bloomed and is dying back(yellowing leaves)which is natural. It’s done. Generally, they should last for 1 to 2 weeks depending temperature, light level and at what stage of growth you received it. If you received a green plant that is showing symptoms of discoloration, premature wilting and flowers that abort or dry up, those are indicators of different problems. These symptoms can be caused by either ethylene gas exposure in shipping/ storage , excessive cold storage of the plant or a fungal disease can attack the plant when it is stressed.

• Lisa

  February 14th, 2008 at 7:50 pm · Reply

  I received a potted tulip for Valentine’s Day. Can I transplant the flower into an outside pot now? Or, should I leave it in the pot it’s in and plant the bulbs next year? If so, do I need to put the pot outside or leave it inside? Does it need full sun, or shade??? I live in south Georgia if that’s any help. Right now the flowers are beautiful and I would love to keep them as long as possible. Thanks
  Lisa

  The life span of potted tulips is at best 2 weeks given the right conditons. It is best to keep them in a cool place away from direct sunlight. I would leave them in the pot as transplanting right now will only shorten the lifespan of the flowers. You can put them outdoors if temperatures are above 40 degrees. Tulips are considered an annual bulb in the South because the summers are too wet for them to stay in the ground and the winters are not cold enough. One things you can try is after blooming, let the foliage grow until it dies back. Store the bulbs in a cool dry place during the summer. In Sept. place the bulbs in the refrigerator and chill them for 8-12wks. This will simulate the cooling period that tulips need in order to bloom. Plant in the ground in Nov. adding bulb booster to the soil and hopefully they will have enough energy to rebloom. Potted tulips use up a lot of energy to bloom and may not rebloom.

• Jenni

  March 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 am · Reply

  I live in Missouri – zone 5. I have a pot of purchased tulips that are now spent. I want to plant them permanently outdoors, but for future reference – so I can force bulbs – I’d like to know whether they should be put in the fridge as the bulbs themselves or plant them in the pot I wish to grow them in and place the entire pot in the fridge? Also, I want to give a few of the bulbs to a friend. Should I wait until the growth dies back and dig the bulbs and let them dry out? (so they look like what you would buy at the garden center – dry papery bulbs with no growth) Thanks

  Ok, there are two things we need to discuss. 1. The pot of spent tulips. Let the foliage die back completely either in the pot or you can plant them permanently outdoors as long as temps are above freezing. Just pull out the whole root ball and bulbs and plant it deep enough so the bulbs are 5-6 inches below the soil line. Choose a spot that does not get excessively wet in the summer. It is important to let the foliage die back so the bulb can replenish itself for next year’s bloom. . If you keep the bulbs in the pot then you can store them through the summer and plant them in the fall. Forced tulips use up so much energy out of the bulb that sometimes they may not rebloom right away and they should not be forced again.
  2. When forcing tulips start with new bulbs(no parrot, cottage or species). Plant them in moist soil mix, cover the pot with foil or plastic and store the planted pot in the frig . Keep the soil slightly moist-not wet. Tulips require a cold period(35-45F) of 12 weeks at which time they will develop a root system and yellowish sprouts. They then can be brought out to warmer temperatures(60F) and indirect light to green up. From this point it should take 2-4 wks to bloom which will last 10-14 days.

• Karen Thomann

  March 18th, 2008 at 6:27 am · Reply

  My hyacinth is so pretty in its pot that I’d rather keep it there in the kitchen window area than plant outdoors. Can I do this without it dying? How would I care for it?

  Hi Karen
  Keep your hyacinth away from the warm window. It will bloom longer. I’m afraid a blooming hyacinth will only keep for 7-10 days and then the flower stalk dies. All you will have left is the leaves, it will not rebloom this year. Enjoy your plant and after it is done blooming either plant it outside or save it (let the floliage grow until it dies back) then plant it outdoors for next year’s bloom. It’s easier just to plant it when its done blooming.

• Karen Thomann

  March 20th, 2008 at 7:08 am · Reply

  I guess I was asking whether I could just let the leaves die back and have the hyacinth rebloom next year. The foliage is still there but I can let it grow til it does die back. If I cut the dead foliage when it’s time, can I leave the bulb in the pot and will it rebloom next year?

  Hi Karen
  The general rule is bulbs that have been forced in a pot should not be forced again-which is what you want to do but you can try it. After blooming, place the pot in a sunny area, feed once a week with a diluted fertilizer and let the foliage continue to grow until it totally turns brown. This might replenish the bulb enough so that it will re-bloom the next season. Furthermore, you will have to repot it in fresh soil and give it a cool period (35-45F) for 8-12 weeks. After all that, you may or may not get it to bloom-that’s why it’s simpler to plant it outdoors, if you can. Forced hyacinths, when planted outdoors to rebloom usually develop smaller flower heads.

• Eleanor R.

  April 19th, 2008 at 4:36 pm · Reply

  I have heard that feeding potted bulbs a low alcohol solution will retard their height thus preventing them from falling over. Is this correct?

  Yes, experiments have been done on forced paperwhite narcissus and proven to work. See the paperwhite article.

• Ray

  August 25th, 2008 at 8:23 am · Reply

  I bought tulip bulbs way back in sept’07, but delayed planting till almost end-March’08. Not surprisingly, just a few enterprising ones grew 3″leaves & then yellowed & died.! I’ve left the bulbs still in their 12″plastic pot & would like to know whether there’s any chance they will bloom in the coming spring? If yes, what should I do to prepare them for winter? The pot is in the corner of my north-east facing balcony, which gets 2″ of sun for about 1/2 hr every morning & a bit again at sunset. I do really hate throwing out any plants & would love to be able to save these too!
  Thanks.

  HI Ray,
  I’m afraid there won’t be any flowers next spring. It sound as if the tulips did not get enough growth to replenish the bulb. It’s all about rebuuilding the bulb for the next season. Forced bulbs have a difficult time reblooming because they don’t build up enough nutrients to rebuild the bulb; that’s why its recommended that you plant the bulbs outdoors after growing in a pot, where there’s a better chance for optimal growth. Plant it in soil outdoors and see what you get next year. You might proove me wrong and get flowers. If you live in a colder climate and the pots stay outdoors on your balcony during the winter, you risk freezing the bulbs which then will be of no use.

• Ray

  November 14th, 2008 at 8:42 am · Reply

  I just bought some tulip bulbs, & would like to know the best way to pot them. I plan to leave the pot outside on my 22nd floor balcony, facing north-east in southern ontario. What should I do to prevent the pot from freezing when temperatures fall to below -20C in winter? Should I prepare the soil with a fertiliser/feed? Is Miracle Grow soilless mix a good potting soil to use?
  Thanks!

  Hi Ray
  You can plant them in pots in Miracle grow mix and place them in a styrofoam cooler when temperatures start to fall below 32F to protect them from freezing. In extreme cold you may have to cover the cooler as well. Bulbs need temperatures of 35-40F for 8-12 wks to develop a good root system.

• Ray

  December 10th, 2008 at 10:54 am · Reply

  Forcing bulbs

  I just planted tulip bulbs in a plastic pot with Miracle Gro soil & watered it thoroughly. As per your advise above, I have insulated the pot with newspaper & bubble-wrapped the pot. Do I need to cover the whole pot, top & all? Or can I leave the top open? Temps currently are at -10C, with snow flurries off & on. The pot will be on my north-facing balcony with hostas & hydrangea similarly protected- pls do let me know what else I should do to over-winter the pots. Thanks!

  Hi Ray
  I would place or cover the whole pot in a plastic bag. This will help keep the moisture in and excessive moisture out. Check periodically to make sure that it doesn’t get too wet and moldy. You can also take the potted bulbs and store them inside a cooler, styrofoam box or refrigerator (without ripe fruit). You want to keep your bulbs just above freezing (35-40F). After 12 weeks, remove the bulbs from cold storage-they should have 1-2 inches of growth on them and bring them indoors to a cool room out of direct light for a week. After a week, place your pot in direct sun in a warm room and watch the shoots turn green.

• Ray

  December 10th, 2008 at 5:02 pm · Reply

  The pot will have to stay out on the balcony b’cos it’s a large 15″ one- I will cover it with a plastic bag to further protect it & check on it every so often. I hope to see tulips once it gets warmer! Do I need to fertilise it at any time? I’ve also planted a garden Lily bulb with the tulips- it should be ok, too right?

  Hi Ray
  Sorry I didn’t realize it was on the balcony. Since the container is outdoors, you can add some mulch (straw, pine boughs, wood chips) on top on the container for more insulation. Skip the plastic-that won’t do. The container needs to breathe and plastic will trap hot air inside when the sun hits it, which can harm the bulbs. Fertilize when you are planting the bulbs by adding a slow-release fertilizer (too late now)to the soil and after the bulbs are done blooming. A hardy lily should be fine. It will bloom later in the season-usually around June.

• Ray

  February 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am · Reply

  Hi,
  Now that we’re heading into March & hopefully warmer weather soon, I was wondering when I should water the potted tulips that have sat out all winter on the balcony. There is till cold weather (upto -14C, with windchill of -20) predicted ahead, so maybe I should wait a little longer, till temperatures stay above 0C consistently?

  HI Ray
  Wait till the weather warms up. Once you see shoots growing then start watering.

• Kevin Deitz

  March 4th, 2009 at 8:36 am · Reply

  March 4 2009 Grand Rapids, Michigan I’ve read through many of your answers and believe I need a personalized answer for my situation. I bought my girlfriend potted tulips for valentines day thinking: “o man that will be cool she will get some beautiful flowers now and again next year if I plant them.” Now I realize its more work than that. We have winters with temperatures usually between 10 and 30 degrees F sometimes below 0 F. And due to Lake Michigan the weather is a little crazy all year long you never know what you will get. Can tulip bulbs be left in the ground if the temperature will be below 0 F?

  HI Kevin
  Yes, tulips can be left in the ground year round. They are hardy and will withstand freezing temperatures as long as they are planted in the ground. They need a cold dormant period in order to bloom the next season. Once the tulips are done blooming, let the foliage grow and eventually die back. You can then plant them in the ground or store the bulbs in a cool place and plant them in the fall. Another option (I have tried )is as soon as the soil can be worked and the tulips are finished blooming, plant the contents of the pot in the ground and let the foliage die back outside. That way, you won’t have to store the bulbs and try to remember to plant them in the fall.

• stephanie

  April 5th, 2009 at 8:37 pm · Reply

  Hello, I bought some tulip at the grocery store 2 days ago. They weren’t opened up yet. I put them outside it was 72 degrees today and pretty sunny. The flowers have been outside both days. I brought them inside both nights. It’s about 67-70 in my house. Today I noticed that the stems are starting to bend over now. Are they dying now how can I proglong there life. How do I know when they are dead and what is foliage? I’m a new homewowner and have never been into flowers. If I put them in the ground now will the tulips stay pretty? I also have hyacinth’s. They are bending over as well and are not even fully bloomed. What am I doing wrong? THank yoU!!!!
  Stephanie

  HI
  You are keeping hyacinths and tulips in too warm temperatures. To prolong their blooming time keep them in cool temperatures around 50’sF and away from direct sun but bright indirect light. Foliage are the leaves and they should keep growing so that they can feed the bulbs for next year. It not a good idea to plant them while they are in bloom, wait until they are done blooming and then plant the pot of “leaves in the ground”.

• Dorian

  April 9th, 2009 at 7:26 pm · Reply

  Hello! I just received a beautiful potted hyacinth as a gift. It has already flowered. From what I understand, hyacinth bulbs are usually panted in the fall. Should I bother transplanting the flowers to the garden, or should I leave them in the container? How should I best care for it? I live in New Jersey, zone 6. Thank you for your help!!

  You can do either. Keep them in the container for the summer and plant them in the fall (if you remember). I usually plant mine in the garden so I don’t have to worry about planting them in the fall. Be sure to cut off the dead flower head and let the foliage keep growing until it dies back naturally.

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