How to Pot Bulbs, Style Patio Plants & Arrange Fresh Spring Flowers 🌿🌸, by Zest Snaps on YouTube. 1 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick firm, healthy bulbs. Choose ones that feel heavy and have no soft spots or mould, and match the bowl size so the bulbs sit close but do not touch.
Put a 2 cm layer of gravel or small stones in the bottom of the glass bowl. This holds a little water away from the bulbs and stops them rotting.
Add bulb fibre or light potting mix until the bowl is about two thirds full. Leave room for the bulbs and a final layer of mix.
Press the bulbs into the mix with the pointed end up. Keep them close but not touching, and leave the top third of each bulb above the surface.
Fill around the bulbs with more mix and firm it gently. Leave a 1 cm gap below the rim so water does not spill over.
Water lightly until the mix is damp but not soaked. In a bowl with no holes, pour off any water that collects at the bottom.
Move the bowl to a cool, bright spot at about 10 to 15 C for a few weeks. This lets roots form before the shoots push up.
Bring the bowl into a warmer, sunny room once shoots are 5 cm tall. Turn it every few days so the stems grow straight.
Tips and common mistakes
Never let bulbs sit in standing water, since glass bowls have no drainage hole.
Keep the bowl away from radiators until the shoots are up, or the bulbs may rot.
Plant in autumn for flowers in late winter or early spring.
Questions
Can I use normal garden soil in a glass bowl?
It works, but it is heavier and holds more water. Bulb fibre or a light potting mix drains better and is easier to see through the glass.
Do I need to chill the bulbs first?
Prepared bulbs sold for indoor forcing are ready to plant. Plain garden bulbs need a cool spell of several weeks, which the cool spot in step 7 provides.
How often should I water?
Water when the mix feels dry just below the surface, usually once a week. Check more often once the bulbs are growing fast.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
