What kind of bulbs? That will determine the care needed.
If they've moved on a bit too much in growth, you'll probably need to try and accommodate them a bit longer, until the ground is suitable. It's not just air temps which are the problem. It's also important to open the lid most days on cold frames - that prevents things growing too quickly, too soon, and allows a little more growth room too.
Don't count your chickens re weather. It's been snow, sleet and hail here today
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I had mine sheltered behind the hut in pots, but as I had lots of friends turning up yesterday I moved them to the front of the house to look like I knew what I was doing. They will grow eventually unless they get drowned by this awful weather we have had. I am in central Scotland and I think bulbs in pots here survive better than in the ground.
More high winds and rain forecast for the weekend. Cold wet ground is more damaging for any plant than dry, cold conditions. Alliums will be best in really well drained ground, and a sunny site, so if you can't provide it, they're best in pots. I grow mine in raised beds, and they're right at the back against a wall. The soil medium is created to suit too. Tulips are the same - they need a well drained medium and sun to do well. The blousy ones will tend to diminish anyway over time, but the little species ones will return. Muscari will cope with much harsher conditions, and are fine in the ground, but you can start acclimatising them over the next week or two, so that you can leave them outside. I don't grow Ranunculus, so can't help with those, and there are different Anemones, so it depends on type again.
I think you should keep the tulips and alliums in the cold frame for now, but perhaps construct a bit of extra protection with some fleece and battens to give you the height. In milder spells, you can start putting them outside for a while and back undercover at night, just to minimise foliage damage. All of those could have been planted up and kept outside from the start though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I also grow lots of bulbs in pots, and some will do better than others. Tulips are definitely easier in pots here, due to the climate, but the species ones are particularly good as they are much more generous in habit. Worth looking at, as they will come back each year, so more economical. Suits us canny Scots eh? Alliums can be a bit hit and miss, so you may find they don't do terribly well in the pots long term. Even a small screen of some kind to keep the worst of the weather off the foliage would help, but it would need to be well secured, so that depends on the site you have. Once acclimatised a bit, they would be fine. Gardening is a big learning curve, and getting to know, and working with, your conditions is the most important thing really.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Andrew.D.P I would think your pots would be fine if you can line them up by a wall or shed, which would give them some protection. Like you I also had mine in pots (mainly daffs and tulip, crocuses and dwarf irises) in a coldframe/greenhouse to keep them safe from squirrels/mice) but took them out when they got too tall. Didn't bother with acclimatising them (too heavy to keep shifting). As long as you can keep a bit of fleece or bubblewrap round the pots if it freezes, they should be ok. I ought to add that I'm in Somerset not in Scotland though! Hope they look lovely later.
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If they've moved on a bit too much in growth, you'll probably need to try and accommodate them a bit longer, until the ground is suitable. It's not just air temps which are the problem. It's also important to open the lid most days on cold frames - that prevents things growing too quickly, too soon, and allows a little more growth room too.
Don't count your chickens re weather. It's been snow, sleet and hail here today
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cold wet ground is more damaging for any plant than dry, cold conditions.
Alliums will be best in really well drained ground, and a sunny site, so if you can't provide it, they're best in pots. I grow mine in raised beds, and they're right at the back against a wall. The soil medium is created to suit too. Tulips are the same - they need a well drained medium and sun to do well. The blousy ones will tend to diminish anyway over time, but the little species ones will return.
Muscari will cope with much harsher conditions, and are fine in the ground, but you can start acclimatising them over the next week or two, so that you can leave them outside.
I don't grow Ranunculus, so can't help with those, and there are different Anemones, so it depends on type again.
I think you should keep the tulips and alliums in the cold frame for now, but perhaps construct a bit of extra protection with some fleece and battens to give you the height. In milder spells, you can start putting them outside for a while and back undercover at night, just to minimise foliage damage.
All of those could have been planted up and kept outside from the start though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Alliums can be a bit hit and miss, so you may find they don't do terribly well in the pots long term.
Even a small screen of some kind to keep the worst of the weather off the foliage would help, but it would need to be well secured, so that depends on the site you have. Once acclimatised a bit, they would be fine.
Gardening is a big learning curve, and getting to know, and working with, your conditions is the most important thing really.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...