Bulbmeister.COM - Discussions

[TulipManiac]

I've come across plenty of instructions for growing tulips in pots for forcing indoors. But so far I haven't seen anything useful about growing them in outdoor containers. Does our Bulbmeister or anyone else have any tips?

Here are my main questions:

- How deep do the planters need to be in total? That is, 7"-8" deep for the bulb, plus how much space in dirt below the bulb for root growth? (Add to that an inch or two for pebbles or gravel for good drainage.)

- What sort of medium (i.e., soil) should I use? Is Miracle-Gro Moisture Control potting soil (or something along that line) OK? Or should I (as per the one source I could find on this topic) avoid potting or garden soil altogether and use a soilless mix of perlite/vermiculite and sphagnum with some finished compost?

- Should I put mulch on top of the pots? If so, the same thickness as in the garden?

- Can the planted bulbs in the containers spend the winter outside? Or do they have to go into a basement or garage? If, as with so much in life, it all depends, then -- at what temperature would the containers need to be moved into someplace sheltered? (I'm in Queens in New York City - zone 6b.)

- I presume that if I let the foliage yellow after bloom, I can lift and save the bulbs just as I do in the garden. Is that correct?

- Anything else I should keep in mind?

Thanks,
TuMan

[kmirvin]

TM:

Here are some observations I have made concerning potted tulips. First, these are not pre-chilled. Second, the containers I use are not for show, but maybe you can draw some conclusions that will help you come to a decision.

In the past, I have held back a small quantity of bulbs to plant in pots to be overwintered outside so I can get a picture the following spring for my website.

With varietal tulips, this is what seems to work best for me, and it may not be practical aesthetically:

1. I use a grow bag that is about 2 gallons, so I would suggest a 2-3 gallon pot.
   
2. I use a fairly high porosity potting mix, but nothing special
   
3. Fertilize the mix according to your preferred bulb food directions.
   
4. Place your bulbs as close as you would like, ideally with the nose at least 2" below the surface.
   
5. I then group the pots in communities and surround with coarse mulch, covering with about 1" of mulch. I call this reverse plunging and I do it because I would otherwise have too many holes to dig.
   

In relation to the last suggestion, you can dig a hole for your pot to achieve the same goal, but you should probably use plunging pots which have slits in the sides to encourage drainage. Whether reverse plunged or plunged, you are normalizing the media temperature through the winter, giving the tulip bulbs the proper chilling and with less risk of too early a bloom because of unseasonably warm days.