Bulbs Q and A: Do you need to water bulbs on pots over their dormancy period? BG

This is a very frequently asked question I get about bulbs and their aftercare! I answer it with the help of my lillies that I shamefully abandoned last year and gave zero care to🙈

[@nazarahthecat]

Hi @Balconia Garden. Thanks for your video. I live in Southern Finland (plant zone 6, meaning the lowest temperature can go is around -23 degrees celsius) . I potted a lasagna garden containing tulips, daffodils, muscari, and crocus about 2 weeks ago. They are now on my balcony which is protected with glass. I am already seeing shoots coming out from one of them. I am also seeing the same case for the ranunculus bulbs I plotted earlier. The question is, as they are in a shaded balcony, do I need to put tree barks on the topsoil to protect the shoots from dying? The balcony itself doesn't have heating, so shall I bring the pots that are having the shoots already coming out? Thanks!

[@balconiagarden]

Hi Nazia, sorry for the late reply! The lasagna sounds pretty 🙂 When bulbs are planted they actually already start to grow so if the temps where you are are relatively high the bulbs will start to put down roots and the foliage may start to emerge. As soon as the weather drops the bulbs will fall into a semi dormancy and will stop growing. Then in spring when the days get longer and the temps warm up they will start to grow again. If the bulbs are in a protected balcony you don't need to mulch they should be fine. Just be aware that in extreme cold temps terracotta pots can explode so consider covering them with bubble wrap, horticultural fleece (more for the bulbs but them should be fine without it) or consider bringing your pots inside for a short period. Hope that helps 🙏