j parker 200 bulbs for £1 question

davemorton

I have received my order from Parkers, and am now stuck with what to do with them as I have never really bothered with flowers before.
I was hoping I could make up some 12" tubs for the patio. Which of the bulbs can I put into the containers, are any of the bulbs more suited to be paired with each other, and about how many bulbs would you say per tub?
Cheers, Dave.

peachespeaches

Mine have just come and I need to have a good look at them, some of them have names I dont know! The gladioli bulbs look suspiciously small too. I think you will be fine with the tubs. What does it say in the leaflet that comes with them?

I did make a mistake with my first lot of begonias though. These are better sprouted in a shalllow tray with a bit of compost before you plant them. Last time I just planted them!

peachespeaches

[QUOTE=davemorton;31031I have received my order from Parkers, and am now stuck with what to do with them as I have never really bothered with flowers before.
I was hoping I could make up some 12" tubs for the patio. Which of the bulbs can I put into the containers, are any of the bulbs more suited to be paired with each other, and about how many bulbs would you say per tub?
Cheers, Dave.[/QUOTE]
Going through the bulbs, the instructions to many of them are in the white leaflet, and as far as I can see they should all be suitable for pots.

IXIA - 8 CM deep sheltered position, as these are fairly small you might get all of them in one 12" tub. Put them in 2 if you are in doubt.

ALIUM 5 cm apart, 3/4 times own depth

ANENOME - soak before use 10 cm apart

FREESIA 2.5 CM DEEP 5 CM APART

CROCOSMIA - I would put these in the garden and leave them a few years to spread and establish as they dont always flower first season.

GLADIOLI - possibly better in the garden 15 cm apart, BUT it depends on the type. If they are the large flowered type definitely, also put some sand in bottom of hole so they dont rot. I have grown some of the slender type in a pot though, and the bulbs are only small, so you might be ok.

DUTCH IRIS, fine in pot, could divide them between 2 pots.

and as for Acidanthera murielae, Found this info on net:

Gladiolus callianthus (Acidanthera murielae)

If there were only one bulb to plant in the spring on a limited budget I think it would have to be the Gladiolus callianthus! They look great, are easy to grow and (at the sizes of bulbs we supply) certain to flower, and cost peanuts! Plant them in succession, a big potfull at a time, a month apart in April, May and early June for a continuous display in the late summer and autumn. Water, liquid feed occasionally and stand back to enjoy!
Pure white, with a dark purple blotch at the centre of the irregularly petalled flower. Hugely scented and gracefully arching from a long pollen tube with tall green pleated leaves. Late summer flowering (dependant on when planted) 36-48" tall. Not hardy enough to be left out all winter, so keep dry and reuse the biggest another year.
Not really suited to heavy waterlogged soils. Great in well drained sunny situations planted on a 2" bed of gravel. Work on 4" spacing or 10 per sq foot.

Chimera

Mine arrived today, and i'm the same.. have no idea what i'm doing!!!

I was thinking of putting some at the front of the flat.. we are ground floor in a little block of council flats in a lovely village. Flat is nice enough, but would like to make it look less 'council like' if you know what I mean.

We have grass outside the front but it's not ours as such.. maintained by council, but there is a strip of soil between the wall and grass, and gets sun from 5am till about 2pm. so..

Would this work?
What would I need to do to prepare the ground?
What should I plant there?

Would really like to do something outside flat to make me smile everytime I come home.
Back garden is tiny and everything inpots because of doggies!!!


Oh, and I got 6 free phlox paniculata mixed which I have noooooo idea what to with!!

jennieshrew

Can you plant anything else in the tubs with the bulbs so there is something to look at until they grow or do I need to leave the tubs as bare soil until the flowers grow.

We have waterlogged clay soil with slugs galore so I dont think that we would be able to put many of the bulbs in the ground. I planted some lilles in the clay last year and they did well but not sure if they will come up again this year as the slugs may have got them!!

Chimera

Chimera wrote: »

Mine arrived today, and i'm the same.. have no idea what i'm doing!!!

I was thinking of putting some at the front of the flat.. we are ground floor in a little block of council flats in a lovely village. Flat is nice enough, but would like to make it look less 'council like' if you know what I mean.

We have grass outside the front but it's not ours as such.. maintained by council, but there is a strip of soil between the wall and grass, and gets sun from 5am till about 2pm. so..

Would this work?
What would I need to do to prepare the ground?
What should I plant there?

Would really like to do something outside flat to make me smile everytime I come home.
Back garden is tiny and everything inpots because of doggies!!!


Oh, and I got 6 free phlox paniculata mixed which I have noooooo idea what to with!!

anyone and ideas?

wssla00

Chimera, why not plant them in the long plastic or ceramic containers you get that are oblong? I planted some Sarah Berdhart (can't spell) in one and they are coming along a treat. That way it is still making it look nice but it can be moved if the council have problems with it?
The bulbs would look lovely in pots like that.

Chimera

wssla00 wrote: »

Chimera, why not plant them in the long plastic or ceramic containers you get that are oblong? I planted some Sarah Berdhart (can't spell) in one and they are coming along a treat. That way it is still making it look nice but it can be moved if the council have problems with it?
The bulbs would look lovely in pots like that.

I'd thought about that.. but I don't think they'd last long, can see them going missing