Bulbs in pots for xmas

mrssarahh

Hi
I've had an idea for xmas of giving some bulbs in pots as pressies.
To do it cheap I will be using v. small terracotta pots (39p ones so v.v.small!). They will be part of my hampers/ goody boxes so need to be less than 50p if poss.

I was wondering which bulbs to buy though?

Maybe crocuses cos they are quite small or maybe snowdrops would look pretty.

I was going to make a nice tag/ label with care instructions on so they can grow them themselves in the spring.

Has anyone got any ideas please?

exlibris

You can also get miniature daffodils. I am trying them this year.

C1aire

I've just done this this weekend! I've had some daffs, some irises and a hyacinth in the fridge for a few weeks now to force them. I planted mine in jam jars with a bit of gravel in the bottom. They look quite good, but as OH pointed out once I had them all nicely potted up, I should maybe have removed the labels from the jars first...

To add to the list above, what about tulips?

tanith

mrssarahh wrote: »

Hi
I've had an idea for xmas of giving some bulbs in pots as pressies.
To do it cheap I will be using v. small terracotta pots (39p ones so v.v.small!). They will be part of my hampers/ goody boxes so need to be less than 50p if poss.

I was wondering which bulbs to buy though?

Maybe crocuses cos they are quite small or maybe snowdrops would look pretty.

I was going to make a nice tag/ label with care instructions on so they can grow them themselves in the spring.

Has anyone got any ideas please?

Its a nice idea but really you need to plant the bulbs before christmas if you want them to flower in the spring... take a look at the bulb packets and it will give you an indication when they should be planted , its usually somewhere cool and dark till they are shooting then bring gradually into the light and heat...

mrssarahh

Thanks for all your ideas - I might try miniature daffs.

They will be OK to flower in spring cos I am going to plant them now and give them actually all potted up ready.

Thanks again - given me a bit of a push to get them done now!!

Frugal_Goblin

Where are you getting the 39p terracotta pots from? I've been trawling charity shops for interesting pot-type things to put hyacinths in for Christmas pressies, but they're all around £3.

Claire - Jam jars - great idea - never crossed my mind!

Jake'sGran

This is the first time I have put a picture in MSE so sorry about it being on it's side. I will get it right tomorrow. This plant is a very popular gift for Xmas. It is called Amaryllis or more correctly Hippeastrum but they are quite expensive. With your size of pot you will probably have to use Tete-a-Tete
daffodils. They look good in pots and are quite small.

slopemaster

I love amaryllis, but they seem to be very expensive - anyone found a good source???

Jake'sGran

The one in the HUGE picture (sorry) was half price at B&Q last year (£5) and was already in a nice glazed pot with the proper compost in a bag. It looks like it is going to be good this year too. This year I have searched the web sites for them and they seem to be about £7 but the postage spoils it for me.
Wilko are great for bulbs. I got some good ones at weekend - very unusual - and only £2 for 10. They are called Nectaroscordum. I just found them on Unwins site and they were much more expensive.

Amaryllis are available in J. Parker's web page.
Also on Bloms Bulbs - good quality stuff.

Found a great site doing the above search. It is called BIBBA BULBS - very reasonable for lots of things.

mrssarahh

The 39p pots are from Homebase - they are just plain terracotta and only 11cm, but they'll look quite stylish with the bulbs in I think. The next size up are only 79p.

I have bought some minature daffs (mixed) and grape hyacinths (called something beginning with 'm' - can't remember the name!!) and planted them today. The daffs were from Homebase £3.99 for 20 I think - they're soing 3 bags for £10 too, and the others were from Focus £1.99 for a bag (not sure how many).

The left overs I have planted aound the garden and in my spare pots - so not entirely xmas pressies - some me pressies too:rotfl:

The only thing I've got to do now is find a way of wrapping them or stopping the soil from spilling out everywhere so I can put them in the boxes!!

Mummy_Jo

Have you tried IKEA for Pots? I became totally frustrated trying to find cheap ones and bought mine from the local Wyvale garden centre:eek: - not at all cheap. Anyway went to IKEA a few days later and could have got much nicer ones for a fraction of the price.

BTW I was advised by the garden centre to put my bulbs in the shed for at least a month to slow them down before bringing them indoors to be put into the dark. They are concerned with the warm autumn that they may flower before xmas (hyacinths that is). I have done just that but won't know if it will work yet.

Hope you get sorted

Mummy Jo