Expert: Long Island Gardener - 2/6/2007

Question
I live in Idaho, zone 5-6.  We just moved here and I would like to plant bulbs in containers on the deck.  Am I too late or too early?  It is February 6th.  The deck gets sunshine and it is warmer here during the day but still freezes at night.  Thanks

Answer
Bulbs available now would be iffy - leftovers that have endured way too many months out of the ground.

Unless they were chilled or are tough specimens, it is not likely you will find a reliable bunch of bulbs work planting right now.  Bulbs go into the ground in October thru December in Zones 5-8.

That gives them enough time to grow substantial root systems before the big chill that triggers the sprouting of those beautiful flowers.

There are endless suppliers of treated bulbs that are ready for planting.  But they cost an arm and a leg.  And you never really know how successful you will be with them or what kind of quality you can expect.  They are rarely as good as the ones you grow yourself.

But that's not the only problem with your project.

Containers must be treated to endure thaws and freezes through the winter.  And unless you are really, really good at this, planting spring bulbs in containers, and then getting them to grow in the spring, often means knowing how to keep them from rotting out there.  They must not freeze solid on one hand.  But that's hard to stop with a container.  Ground-planting bulbs are much more doable.

Here's what I recommend:

1.  Plan on a summer bulbfest.  There are many bulbs and tubers you can put in containers that will give you months of summer color, then in late fall you can move the pots indoors or even remove them from the pots and store them.  This takes practice and experience.  You'll have plenty of things to do.  And just like spring bulbs, they are beautiful.

2.  For next year's spring - 2008 - order bulbs, plant them in pots and "plunge" into the ground.  Take special care to supply excellent drainage; pots enclose moisture and bulbs planted in them for winter tend to rot due to excessive water.  As they sprout in spring, move them to your deck.  The pots can be ordinary black shrub pots that don't look especially pretty but are highly functional; terra cotta will usually crack and break if plunged.

If you would like me to continue w/ suggestions for summer bulbs, let me know.  I'm sorry I cannot be more optimistic about spring 2007.  But very glad you asked.