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How to create a spring bulb tray

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How to create a spring bulb tray

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Thursday, 3 February 2022 at 5:35 pm

In this easy project, we show you how to create a colourful display using spring-flowering bulbs.

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Flowering spring bulbs are the perfect way to bring some next-season cheer into your home.

Snowdrops and crocuses that are starting to emerge in the garden can be transferred to pots and grown on indoors as long as they're kept cool. So too can bulbs that have been forced in the cold and dark before being slowly exposed to light and warmth.

Don't worry if you haven't forced any bulbs or don't have a garden – florists and nurseries will be bursting with prepared, potted bulbs in various stages of growth.

Buy spring bulbs from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan, Suttons, and Wilko

For variety and colour, group pots of different kinds of bulbs together on a tray.

To get you started, discover how to create this spring bulb tray, below.

You Will Need

Crocus sieberi 'Firefly'
Cyclamen coum
Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'
Muscari aucheri 'Ocean Magic'
Galanthus nivalis
Wooden tray
Small terracotta pots
Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
Moss gathered from the garden

Step 1

Filling the pots with compost

Half fill each pot with peat-free multi-purpose compost or bulb fibre. Break up any large lumps and make sure there are no air pockets.

Buy peat-free compost from Thompson & Morgan, Crocus, and Wickes

Step 2

Dividing the bulbs

Divide potted bulbs into portions that are the right size for your pots. Gently separate the bulbs, taking care not to damage the blooms.

Step 3

Replanting the bulbs

Place the bulbs in the pot, firming them in place with your fingers. Fill any gaps with more compost, settling it in place by gently tapping the pot.

Step 4

Mulching the pots with garden moss

Cover the compost with mulch (choosing gravel for cyclamen and iris and moss for the crocus) and leave the top of the bulb poking out. Water well.

Buy horticultural gravel from Crocus

Step 5

Potted bulbs arranged in a rustic tray

Arrange the pots in a rustic tray. Choose one online or find one you like at garden centres. Move them around as different blooms peak.

Buy a bulb tray from Crocus, Etsy, or Amazon

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