Bulbs in buckets

[Greenleaves]

Not being a keen flower grower, mainly because I have never really tried, I need some advice on spring planted bulbs. Having found a little more time on my hands I have started sorting one of the sheds and found I have 160 morri's flower buckets

My thinking is to plant some bulbs in the spring and my first thought was glads, are they suitable and what else could I try?

[WendyC]

Most spring flowering bulbs are planted now but there are summer ones toofor later planting. Gladioli might work. I have tried them in pots but not terribly successfully. I think I crammed too many in. They get quite big, although there are dwarf ones. Not a bulb but dahlias would be ok.

[Greenleaves]

Thank you Wendy

[Bigmallly]

I wouldn't put Gladis in flower buckets GL, I think they will just fall over unless you drill a hole in the bottom and push a long cane through it into the ground. I don't think there is a happier bulb than the good old Daff, layer planted so they come up at different times.

[Greenleaves]

Cheers BM, but fear I have missed the post with those or have I?

[veggiechicken]

Hope not, 'cos I have some Daffs still in a bag

[Alicante]

I think tulips can be planted in November. At least I hope they can as I haven't planted mine yet

[Greenleaves]

Well in that case....daffs will be a good place to start

[veggiechicken]

Just checked the bags and they say - plant August to December I also have some ornamental Alliums to go in.

[Bigmallly]

Cheers BM, but fear I have missed the post with those or have I?

Nah................. Daffs, Tulips, Crocuses, Hyacinths all around now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basic...t_bulbs1.shtml

[Jay22]

Did Monty Don not do a thing where he layered different bulbs in tubs so that you always have a show...daff,s tulips etc all coming up at different times?

Had a look online, think this is the proper link.

BBC Two - Gardeners' World, 2014, Episode 25, Successional spring bulb display

[Nicos]

There are loads of different types of daffs...all coming up at slightly different times.
If you check out the labels for height and flowering times you can make a very interesting display by moving your pots around.
I have loads and loads of daffs absolutely everywhere because they seem to be one thing the voles don't munch.
They also look really pretty in pots just plonked onto your flowerbed as they green up and flower before most other plants decide to wake up after their winter snooze.

I'd certainly go with daffs and narcissi...and once they have flowered and died back, you can tip out the bulbs and store them and use the pots for something else.
The beauty with planting bulbs in plastic pots is that the frost won't shatter them!

I always buy bags of bulbs from Homebase or B&Q as they are good value...also garden centres espesh when they are reduced to clear!

You just can't have too many daffs!...the upside is that if you plant loads, you won't miss a bunch or two or three for the house over several weeks

Oh and yes....I'm only just starting to plant mine out now too.

[Greenleaves]

Told you all I know nothing about flower's, I just seemed to think daffs where planted in October. Thank you all, I shall be making a purchase today

[Kristen]

I think tulips can be planted in November. At least I hope they can as I haven't planted mine yet

Better to plant Tulips late-ish (now is good ) as early planted they can suffer from Tulip Fire

[WPG]

Did Monty Don not do a thing where he layered different bulbs in tubs so that you always have a show...daff,s tulips etc all coming up at different times?

Had a look online, think this is the proper link.

BBC Two - Gardeners' World, 2014, Episode 25, Successional spring bulb display

I'm trying Montys layered method this year. I've planted tulips quite deep, then a layer of narcissi, then muscari with iris, and then a top layer of winter pansies. It'd be great if it works, but I'm sort of expecting quite a lot of foliage and not much flower. Will take photos of each stage (already the pansies are getting a bit too leafy)

In terms of the OPs question, I think the mild weather means it's not too late for planting any bulbs at the moment. I know I've planted spring bulbs as late as mid January before and they've done fine.