Planting Tulips In My Container Garden | Learning From Last Year's Mistakes

[@naturalroots]

Hi Bethany Im not promoting this you tuber but have you ever heard of Claus Darby? He does container gardener. I really believe you would enjoy his channel. He is a joy to watch and his gardening skills are top level. Cant wait to see how things bloom for you this spring. 🤞🏽🌷🤞🏽

[@ChicagoGardener]

Yes!! I follow him on both IG and here and absolutely love what he does, especially with bulbs in containers.

[@Jenna_bo-benna9]

Bethany, as a first-time container gardener in the Chicago suburbs, your content is so incredibly helpful!! I love that you explain what you're doing and the why behind it. Would you consider doing a local meetup? I would love to pick your brain and swap ideas for growing in our area!

[@ChicagoGardener]

That makes me so happy to hear! I would love to do a meet up. I wonder if winter is too cold and we should wait until spring?

[@hayleyfletcher2773]

This is my 1st time doing tulips 🌷 it’s so exciting! Took some of your tips thanks as I have some in the ground & also containers 👍🌷

[@ChicagoGardener]

I’m so excited for you!! What varieties are you growing?

[@hayleyfletcher2773]

@@ChicagoGardener I have no idea 😆 I just picked colours I liked! I have also binned the packaging 😐 so it will be a nice spring surprise 🌷

[@privateperson5769]

so lucky to have all the pretty trees to look out on :)

[@ChicagoGardener]

They are so beautiful!! The wind knocked the leaves off of one of them yesterday though 😫

[@gracieshomeandgardens5089]

Very helpful tips.thank you. I did plant tulips this year in a container for the first time hoping for next spring will be have agood show of tulips.❤new friend here in On Canada.zone 6b

[@ChicagoGardener]

That’s so exciting!!

[@1958constance]

I’m so glad I found you. Great information. Thank you!

[@ChicagoGardener]

That makes me happy to hear! Sometimes I wonder if I talk too much or if all the info is helpful 😆

[@flowerpixel]

I need to plant my bulbs closer! This was fun to watch bc I'm inexperienced growing bulbs compared to seeds

[@ChicagoGardener]

This is only my second year, so I still feel very inexperienced 😂 I love following Claus Dalby here and on Instagram. He does amazing bulb containers every year!

[@clarissamiles]

I'm gardening in Chicago too. Winter 2022, I planted some tulips in containers and in ground. In Spring 2022, I lost the tulips in my containers also. They were also soggy. The in ground tulips all came up beautifully though.. For this winter, I'm keeping my bulbs in the fridge and plant them in containers come March.

[@ChicagoGardener]

Let me know how that goes! If it works well, I might switch to that for smaller pots bc it’s too stressful trying to keep them alive outside over winter 😆

[@clarissamiles]

@@ChicagoGardener Okay

[@susans1679]

I am n zone 6 Toronto Canada. I have not had any luck planting bulbs in containers - they rotted. Even when I kept in unheated garage where they did not get much water. I was surprised to hear you say “late August”. Kept going back to make sure I heard correctly. Is that the secret - they would get a chance to root maybe?? Not sure I can even get bulbs n August.

[@susans1679]

Actually - I now see the background. Clearly it is not late August - looks like late October!!! Sooo - after watching your video, am going to try again! Probably will put them in my plastic greenhouse.

[@ChicagoGardener]

I definitely meant October! I didn’t even realize I said August 😆

[@lynng4700]

I made a lot mistakes last year. This year I don't think I have enough bulbs for my projects. I think I will order some prechilled bulbs, we plant in January in Texas. I'm going to follow your lead on the pots.

[@ChicagoGardener]

I make so many mistakes each year too! At least that means I’m learning something 😆

[@lynng4700]

@@ChicagoGardener Right!

[@jeanne819]

Thanks so much for the info and I love your garden!! Question? Would you tell me how you did the raised beds? If you purchased them or something? I need them here in NY - also do you cover tops with chicken wire ? Thank you !

[@ChicagoGardener]

I purchased the beds from Gronomics! They also sell on Home Depot and Walmart. I do t cover with chicken wire but only bc there are no creature up here that dig them up. If you do have that issue, I would cover them

[@jeanne819]

@@ChicagoGardenerthanks so much for your help and wishing you a wonderful day ❤

[@marilynruggeberg]

I also tried planting bulbs in pots last year with poor results. I stored them covered in my unheated garage covered with cardboard to keep them from being eaten. I also had 2 large pots outdoors covered with cardboard to protect them from the Squirrels. The Squirrels ate the bulbs within 1 to 2 days of me uncovering them in the Spring. I will never do it again. Way too much Squirrel pressure where I live despite my husband live trapping and rehoming them.

[@ChicagoGardener]

Ugh I can’t believe they got to them that quickly! I am very grateful squirrels haven’t made their way up here (yet 🤞)

[@marilynruggeberg]

@@ChicagoGardener they also dig in my pots looking for the Walnuts they buried in the Fall. There is a Walnut Tree just across the street. Squirrel Heaven. 😂😂😂

[@rtshaw3621]

Clay pots and drainage drainage drainage use small pebbles in bottom and vermiculite in the soil mix

[@monicamacauley3750]

I love following you Bethany! I’m in 9b in SoCal. This will be my first year of planting in containers. 🤞🏼 Can you link where you purchased those great raised beds? Thx a bunch. 💐

[@ChicagoGardener]

The brand is Gronomics. They sell it at Home Depot but I like getting mine directly from the Gronomics website bc they’ll have sales throughout the year.

[@jles6129]

Hi I'm in west Michigan. Will my bulbs freeze in the containers if I leave them outside. Is there a minimum temperature the bulbs can withstand? And I agree about 2022 spring. It was so rainy and cold. The tulip fest we have here in Holland Michigan wasn't as spectacular due to the rain. Thanks in advance.

[@ChicagoGardener]

I’m not sure about a minimum temperature, last year was the first year I tried bulbs in containers but all of them in my raised beds came up! This winter has already been colder though so we’ll see what happens in Spring. Too much rain is what killed most of mine, so if you have a shed or unheated garage you can store them in there to be safe. I need to make it up to Holland for the tulip fest! We’re not too far from there.

[@tiffanyrichardson7950]

Hi what compost do you use and where do you purchase it from? Thanks

[@ChicagoGardener]

I use whatever I can get at local garden centers! The one I’ve used most often is a chicken manure compost but I can’t remember the brand name.

[@laitae]

I wonder if bulbs would be ok in fabric bags, has anybody tried that with success?

[@ChicagoGardener]

I haven’t tried it but I think drainage would be much better but they’d have less protection from the cold. I think as long as you give it a bit of protection from the weather, it would work in fabric bags just like it would in a pot! I would love to know if anyone has experience with it though.

[@laitae]

@@ChicagoGardener I went overboard with bulb buying so I think I will try this in fabric bags as an experiment:)