Growing Bulbs In Hypertufa Pots – Spring Planning

Anyone making plans already for spring? We are gardeners, so of course we are all making our plans. We’ve pruned and mulched and planted and moved all with visions of what the garden will look like next year. Sorry, not sorry, I just can’t help it.

I have a vision of growing bulbs in hypertufa pots for spring. And I have got them all ready and lined up and we shall see what happens in the spring. Update: They were very successful and are sprouting for a new spring.

My daughter purchased some small bulbs when they were on sale at a reduced rate. Who knows if they are still good or not. But what have I to lose. Plant them as see if they grow, right?

I wanted to see if I could have them growing in a cute hypertufa bowl. Since I adored the size hypertufa I made as a saucer in this post, I decided to make this size for some mini bulb plants.

I have some crocus and grape hyacinths and mini daffodils that will be perfect for the bowls, but some large tulips will need to be planted among the bowls and troughs. Won’t that be beautiful color in the spring?

Growing Bulbs in Hypertufa Pots Outside

These bulbs I have planted will be grown outside and bloom there. I am not planning on forcing these inside. I have Amaryllis and Paperwhites for my winter blooming so these will be some permanent bulbs for outside. Currently I only have iris planted in a trough outside and they have done well. So we will see how these news plantings will perform.

Of course I have drilled holes in these hypertufa planters so that they will have good drainage. We all know that bulbs, and corms, tubers of all types need to be well-drained or they will begin to rot from the initial planting. I place a small screen over the holes before piling in the soil mix so that nothing can come from underneath to get or eat the bulb.

I have previously put a little bird netting around my planters to keep the squirrels out. It seemed to work very well and no squirrel was ever found tangled there. This may or may not be something practical for you to do depending on the amounts of pots you’ll have out there. Here at the new house, I have not had much trouble with squirrels (knock wood), but that could change at any time they get curious or hungry.

How Deep for Growing Bulbs in Hypertufa Pots

I am planting very small bulbs, but if you have a container of deeper dimensions, you can plant a lot of different bulbs. The main rule to follow is simply to plant the bulbs as deep as twice the diameter of the bulb. It is basically the same as planting in the ground.  If necessary, you can grow several types of bulbs in the same pot and layer them based on the larger bulbs deeper, since they need to be planted deeper underground. But plant those that bloom together (at the same time), so that all will be flowering at once.

Growing Bulbs in Hypertufa Pots - Can't Wait for Spring To See!

It would really look bad to have dying foliage with new blooms coming, right? Just saying.

Waiting for Spring

My hypertufa pots are outside with the bulbs hopefully growing or sleeping. I will water them if needed, but here in Ohio, the snow will probably keep some moisture melting through at all times.  Don’t forget that drainage hole!