Removing bulbs from planters

Robert West

Hello,

I have a couple of planters that are currently full of daffodils which have just finished flowering. I'd like to plant the containers up with other things over the next couple of weeks but I know you're supposed to leave the bulbs to die back naturally, which could take 6-8 weeks.

I was wondering whether digging them up and sticking them in some pots of compost for the next month or two to die back fully would do any good, rather than taking them out and drying them off now.

I want to plant them out again at the end of the year. 

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks in advance. 

Fairygirl

Yes - that's the ideal way to do it. You can give them a couple of feeds as they die back too   

Dovefromabove

Can you just tip them out en bloc so to speak?  And then pop the whole rootball into another similarly sized pot or even an old compost bag with drainage holes poked in it, or similar. Then pop them in a corner behind the garage or wherever, feed and water and wee at it for them to die down. 

Robert West

Thank you both for your replies. I'll lift them in chunks and put them into old compost bags for a while.

Could I just clarify that 'and wee at it' is an autocorrect for 'wait'. Lol

Although I know there are some gardeners that use unconventional methods of fertilization! 

Fairygirl

Robert West said:

Could I just clarify that 'and wee at it' is an autocorrect for 'wait'. Lol

Either that, or @Dovefromabove's been at the sherry! 

Dovefromabove

Not even a light white wine this evening @Fairygirl … summat’s amiss here tonight 🙄 

Your diagnosis is correct @Robert West … auto-correct pixies at play 🙄 … my apologies … although my neighbour Mr Flowerdew a few miles down the road would probably  recommend a combined treatment 😉 

Fire

You can plant them out in the garden too.

Lizzie27

We've just found a large bag of daff bulbs , some tulips and crocuses in my daughter's shed. Is it worth planting them or should we bin them?

Fairygirl

Nothing to lose @Lizzie27, if the bulbs look viable. If they're shrivelled, or damp and rotting, it obviously wouldn't be worth it, but if they're firm and look healthy, you may as well. Tulips are best stored until it's cool enough to avoid tulip fire, but again, it would depend on whether you can store them successfully.

Desi_in_London

Sorry to pile in here - I was given  some "forced" narcissi ( bulb half out of compost and in flower which is why i say forced) - bridal crown ( which are pretty white and pale yellow doubles but have - to my nose - a very sweet smell that can be overwhelming ) and some little yellow ones which are also multi headed but "normal daff shape". Am I correct to assume i need to wait for flowering to be over before i plant them outside? or can i just do that now ( at correct outside planting depth so burying the green leaves/stalk somewhat?)

Desi_in_London

just bumping this up the page in case anyone can help