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Dwarf bulb ideas needed please

The_Wannabe_GardenerThe_Wannabe_Gardener Posts: 13
edited May 2021 in Plants
Morning all! While tidying my garage yesterday I found a bag of muscari bulbs I didn't know I had. I know really it is a bit late to plant them now but they all seem to be shooting so I figured I would bung them in some pots to give them some nutrients and see what happens next year. However I would like to create some layered pots of bulbs with them in case I can keep them alive and as I literally know nothing about flowers was hoping you guys might be able to recommend some pretty dwarf bulbs that would hopefully flower at around the same time and make a pretty display. Thank you!

Posts

  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,119
    You might get some flowers if you plant them now, but the chances of survival until next year are much reduced. They would normally have had several months to develop a good root and leaf system to feed the bulb. As it is we are about to hit the dry summer which they would normally spend underground. So your Muscari will not have enough time to fatten up and will die overwinter, or if they survive be much reduced in strength. I would treat them as annuals. In late August you could get these together with some dwarf Narcissus (‘Tête-à-tête’ are a good dwarf form), Anemone blanda and some Crocus—these would look nice together. Plant up with something like a small ivy plant with variegated leaves in the pot and it will look lovely.
  • The_Wannabe_GardenerThe_Wannabe_Gardener Posts: 13
    @Cambridgerose12 would i be ok to do that now or am I too late this year?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,818
    The muscari need to be planted as soon as possible to have any chance of surviving, but other bulbs probably won't be in the shops until August. You could plant the muscari in small-ish pots (something like 9cm) with a few in each pot, keep them well watered and fed until they die back down to at least give them a chance to build up for next year, then if they have made decent bulbs by the autumn plant them with other bulbs.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,119
    I think you should probably ditch the muscari you have and get some new ones that will actually flower next year, once they are in stock in August.
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