[robbodaveuk]

I have just got some tulip bulbs, my question is can I plant them in pots now and leave them in the conservatory, which is warm during the day and cold at night. The bit of garden they will eventually be planted in is not ready yet.

  Robbo.

[DD.]

When will it be free? I'm never certain about moving rooted bulbs. Tulips need cold to root & being warm in the day, your conservatory may discourage this.

If you have to resort to pots, I'd be inclinded to keep them outside, where they would get the same temperatures as if you'd planted them in their final positions.

That said, I'm not a bulb expert, veg is my forte!

This is from the BBC gardening web site, don't know if it's useful......

Traditionally, it was always said that bulbs should be planted in the autumn, before the first frosts. Nowadays, many disregard this rule. Chris Blom, of Blom's Bulbs, whose family has been growing tulips since 1910, says: "Tulips don't like to be planted too early." He's planted bulbs as late as January, but would recommend up until the end of November, adding that tulips need cold weather to root.

[robbodaveuk]

That sounds to me like the answer I needed DD. I am giving the garden a complete overhaul and the beds won't be ready till about February. My mother,bless her, put in an order for plants and bulbs for her 'new garden' from T & M and the instructions for the tulips says to plant out in the garden now, but nothing about container planting, hence the question.

The garden is about 300ft long by 15ft wide and has not been touched for about fifteen years. It was totally overgrown with rampant privets, brambles, bindweed, nettles, marestail and worst of all a mass of japanese knotweed in the bottom 50ft. I started the overhaul about April last year and have now reclaimed most of it. The whole lot, except the knotweed, is being dug out manually to a depth of at least twelve inches and all roots removed. The knotweed is being treated over time with glyphosate, which appears to be working.
I have removed all privets and built walls where needed, built myself a wooden 15ft x 15ft greenhouse and got 80% of the rest cleared of weeds. Another twelve months should see the whole garden finished to how I want it. I have also removed a tree stump that was six feet high by three foot wide. The tree was about seventy foot tall and was cut down about ten years ago because the high winds were bending it over and it was touching the house even though it was twenty five feet from the house. I have done all the work on my own, that is why it is taking so long.

  Robbo.

[DD.]

:shock:  :shock: And I thought my plots were a lot of work!