I need help with the idea of bulb layering. I'm a novice to gardening, having just been bitten by the gardening bug within the past year. I've since planted my first successful vegetable garden with radishes, tomatoes, peppers, and squash, and have also been successful planting several perennials such as cone flower, aster, phlox, and tulips. My dahlias are doing great too!
My next endeavor is wanting to container garden with layered bulbs. Research tells me that it's possible to plant Allium, Datfodil, Tulip, Hyacinth, and Crocus all in 1 container and in that order from deepest to shallow. However, I'm not sure when to plant or where to store during winter. I live in Zone 5, Kansas City, MO, where it gets pretty cold but not always wet in the winter. Is it necessary to store them inside like a basement or is outside best like under my deck? Do I have my order right? Can I include Lillies? Any advice, help, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Adam
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CluelessAdam
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applestar
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What size containers and how many of each kind of bulb per container were you thinking? It seems like you are already approaching 2 ft diameter grouped, or 3-4gal container of one each kind of combo?
I've done small tulips, crocuses, and grape hyacinths combo in 12"-14" azalea pots. I kept mine in the unheated garage where its gets down to mid-20's in depth of winter. In containers, they are exposed so need to be kept in a sheltered spot to avoid freeze drying as well as waterlogging from above and below -- and you can't move them after they've frozen to the ground.
Alliums and lilies -- what size were you thinking? Remember you are going to need depths below the bulbs, especially the big ones... As much as 12" and they all need their own space between -- it's not just one on top of the other in layers. Unless we're talking dwarf lilies, 4-7 footers that would just as likely fall over. Also lilies are more summer bulbs and I think better off not combined with the spring bulbs. Never grown ornamental alliums so I don't know, but if they bloom at same time as culinary, then those are early summer at least, no?
I've done small tulips, crocuses, and grape hyacinths combo in 12"-14" azalea pots. I kept mine in the unheated garage where its gets down to mid-20's in depth of winter. In containers, they are exposed so need to be kept in a sheltered spot to avoid freeze drying as well as waterlogging from above and below -- and you can't move them after they've frozen to the ground.
Alliums and lilies -- what size were you thinking? Remember you are going to need depths below the bulbs, especially the big ones... As much as 12" and they all need their own space between -- it's not just one on top of the other in layers. Unless we're talking dwarf lilies, 4-7 footers that would just as likely fall over. Also lilies are more summer bulbs and I think better off not combined with the spring bulbs. Never grown ornamental alliums so I don't know, but if they bloom at same time as culinary, then those are early summer at least, no?
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CluelessAdam
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I haven't begun thinking about container size yet, but I need to. I appreciate your response Applestar, it was eye opening and a bit of a kick in the backside that I need to think of more than just the logistics of the combination of bulbs. I'm not really looking to fill the container with color, rather I'm hoping to successfully plant containers that will continue to bloom with different types and colors of flowers. Therefore, I'll probably be planting more than just a couple containers. Any more help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Happy gardening!