Gladioli & tulips

[Dorothyrouse]

I grew some gladioli on allotment this year, should I leave the bulbs in the ground or dig them up.

And please, I ordered 60 tulip bulbs for next year, will these grow ok in pots on balcony? Or best put in ground? ( actually probably enough for both,). If using pots, what is best compost to use?

Thanks

[Super Sprout]

Hi Dorothy,

I had grown gladioli bulbs in containers on the balcony outside my flat and I moved them to my allotment last season. They have been absolutely fine and given me a great display this year which has kept the wife in flowers for weeks! I also had some growing at the allotment the previous season & dug them up to move them to a different position on the allotment. They survived the harsh winter and have been great this year. You'll find that the corms multiply and you get additional plants. I even split some of the biggest corms with a sharp trowel and replanted and they have all grown this season. They seem pretty hardy to me. My soil is well draining over chalk.

I used the freed up containers to plant a similar number of tulip bulbs to you. Firstly make sure your containers have lots of drainage holes, then fill with a thin layer of gravel for additional drainage. I used multi purpose compost with a few handfuls of gravel thrown in for good measure. In the deeper containers you can plant in layers (lasagne planting) so they don't all bloom at the same time. On the very top layer I place crocus for an additional display.

I'm going to introduce daffodils this year for some earlier colour. I also have iris reticulata in pots which are gorgeous.

Good luck!

[rary]

Dorothy I am not sure whither the rule applies to tulip bulbs planted in pots with new compost, but I always wait till the endof October before planting tulips, this is to avoid getting tulip fire, which isn't as active when it is cold, and I would recommend lifting both your gladioli and your tulips
once the leaves start to go over, as for compost any reasonably good compost will do but personally I would add a bit of grit to it to keep it free draining