Bulbs

Interchangeable plant trough

Interchangeable plant trough

After planting far too many Tulips, if there is such a thing! I realised I had a lot of plastic plant pots that I needed a home for. I don’t like planting many Bulbs in the borders because I’m afraid I like to move plants rather a lot 😬
So…… I came up with an interchangeable trough so that I could change the plants seasonally without having to dig anything up. I am putting mine along the patio so it’s quite big, but you could adapt it to any size.

To make my trough I ordered:

  • 4 x 4.8m decking boards and 1 x 1.8
  • 2 x 4.8 1 by 8’s
  • 3 x 4.8 roofing battens and
  • 32 x 5 litre plant pots
Newly built trough

The Trough is 2 decking boards high along the bottom of the upper decking box you screw on the roofing battens all the way around so that the 2 x 1 by 8’s have something stable to sit on, I also put in 6 braces across. I made the wood that the circles will be cut into in two halves it makes is so much easier, I measured out the same distance between the pots then with a pen drew around all the pots then used a jigsaw to cut them.

Once that’s done you can place the 2 x 1 by 8’s in the trough, put in your plant pots, you should leave a space from the top so you can then cover it with a layer of bark to make it look like a trough.

For Spring it has Tulips, Christmas Marvel, Gorilla and Purple Prince.

It’s worked out so well and had a profusion of gorgeous Tulips all Spring. I have another 16 empty pots for the next flowers. In the greenhouse I have Lobelia Crystal Palace, Dwarf pink Gypsophila and Fairy Lupins which are annuals and seemingly sell just like Sweet Peas so I’m really looking forward to seeing and smelling them this year. I will let you know.

Planter in place
Posted by Audrey Rose in Planting Ideas, 0 comments
Spring Bulb Care

Spring Bulb Care

Guess what?……….
Your spring bulb flowers need to be fed! This year especially we were all desperately waiting for some much needed Spring colour in the garden, so We need to make sure they will be there for us next year too.
I have Spring bulbs in the ground which I add Growmore to in late February to encourage the bulbs to flower the following year, as they are in the ground they require no storage, just leave them to do their own thing.

Although……..in my main border the soil is quite heavy clay which is not the best conditions especially for Tulips so I plant my Tulips in plastic pots then plant the pots in the ground and it’s worked really well, you just need to make sure you feed and water them.

The Spring bulbs I have in many pots dotted around the garden need a lot more care throughout the flowering season and some work to store them efficiently for next year.

I used to water them and that was it, then I read an article about feeding your spring bulbs to make sure you have healthy bulbs for the following year and it made total sense that lots of bulbs in a pot would be getting no nutrition! So this year I am feeding them with Tomorite every week and I will continue to feed the bulbs for six weeks after flowering. I must say the Tulips especially are looking so healthy and vibrant and are so much stronger than usual. Just look at this Tulip Gorilla, it could definitely win a wet Tulip competition 😉

Make sure you are deadheading too. I wait until they have flowered and the foliage has gone from green to yellow, I then carefully lift them and cut off the foliage. I shake off the excess dirt and put them in a warm dry area, I use the greenhouse, for a week like the photo below. Make sure you label everything for next year. After they are dry I store them in the garage or somewhere dry and dark and leave them there until they are ready to plant.

Posted by Audrey Rose in Bulbs, Planting Ideas, 0 comments