I bought these metal containers at Clas Olfsen really cheap as I liked the hot pink colour. I thought they would make great spring bulb containers, for a bit of early colour. I'd already bought a selection of bulbs, including a purple mix of tulips, crocuses, a couple of hyacinths and the 'classic white' collection. I wanted a mix of colour and height with a range of bulbs over the spring months from late Feb to April.
Before adding the compost I had to make some drainage holes near the base of the containers and I added a small amount of 'crocs' (broken pots) to aid drainage.
I planted the larger bulbs at the recommended depth but then planted the smaller bulbs like the crocuses lower than recommended so they would pop up slightly later than normal - just to add more impact.
I just just ordinary peat free compost, lightly watered them and left them in our un-heated greenhouse over the autumn and winter. Writing this post in February I can say that all of the bulbs have come through and I've got flowering crocuses already with everything else just peeking through the surface. I had planted another couple of larger containers with bulbs in the autumn but left them outside and I would say they are only about a week behind those that over wintered in the greenhouse. I guess that because we have had a mild winter, they've not really had a great disadvantage by being outside. I'll take some photos of the pots as they are at the moment and then later on in the spring too. I think this autumn, after planting the bulbs I will add some winter pansies and other plants over the top so we've got some instant, long lasting colour in the pots through the winter.
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