Pots versus ground
Bulbs planted in containers have the advantage of being portable – they can be moved around your terrace, patio or garden and can even be positioned in among border plants for pops of colour when other plants are yet to perform – sink the pots into the ground for stability. If your soil is poor and dry, then pots of decent compost may be a more reliable bet, and once the flowers of container-grown bulbs fade, the pots can be moved somewhere less conspicuous.
Bulbs planted in the ground are generally less bother – provided the soil and situation suit them. Plant the individual bulbs in groups, not singly like soldiers. Space the bulbs a couple of inches apart in groups of 10 or 20. Remember that with bulbs planted in a lawn you will have to leave the foliage to flourish for six weeks after the flowers have faded before you can cut it down. The leaves need to manufacture food with the aid of sunlight in order to stimulate the production of next year’s flowers.
If you are a tidy-minded gardener you might find this a bit trying.
If you transfer container-grown bulbs to the garden after they have flowered, remember that you will have to bury them more deeply than they were in their pots, or you risk them fizzling out.
Turn to page 72 for more tips on planting bulbs in containers. KEY POINTS Bulbs in pots can be sunk into the earth for stability Space bulbs in the ground around 5cm apart Leave foliage on the plant six weeks after flowering