There is something truly magical about spring flowering bulbs. And you know you don’t need an outdoor garden to enjoy them. You can make a garden to bring indoors.
The Idea
Pot up bulbs in fall to force into bloom indoors in late winter or early spring. Arrange the pots in a shallow container to create a spring flowering bulb garden.
How-to
Step one of this project is planting the bulbs. Keep in mind that the bulbs used in this arrangement need 16 to 18 weeks of chilling time. If you pot the bulbs in early October you are likely to have blooms by January.
Materials:
- (5) white hyacinth bulbs
- (5) pink tulip bulbs
- (16) Tete-a-Tete daffodil bulbs
- (4) 6-inch pots
- Potting soil
- Shallow decorative container (wide and deep enough to accommodate the pots)
- Sheet moss
Directions:
Fill the pots with soil leaving about 2-inches at the top.
Plant one type of bulb per container. Place the bulbs shoulder-to-shoulder and bury them 3 times deeper than the bulb is wide.
If you live in a region where winter temperatures stay above 25 degrees F, place the pots in the garden near the foundation of the house. Gardeners in colder winter climates should keep the pots in an unheated storage area like a garage or shed. Water the pots about once a month if Mother Nature does not provide moisture through rain or melting snow.
After the required chilling period bring the pots of bulbs into your house. Place them in an area that receives indirect light. When the foliage emerges arrange the pots in a decorative container. Be sure to line the bottom of the container with plastic or use plastic saucers to prevent water damage on tables. Hide the tops of the pots with sheet moss. Move your garden to a sunny location. You can place the garden in any room in your house once the flowers begin to open. I find the flowers last longer if I keep them away from source of heat.
Good to Know
If you don’t have any outdoor space for storing the bulbs choose varieties that don’t require chilling such as paperwhites, amaryllis and pre-chilled hyacinths.