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How can I get bulbs to do well in future?
Q I want to keep a large number of the spring bulbs in pots for some years to come. Is there a particular feed that would benefit them?
Mark Hadworth (via email)
A Bulbs will repeat-flower for years in containers as long as they have enough nutrients to power them and the leaves are kept healthy for the rest of their natural life.
Each spring, as they start to show, remove the top inch or so of compost and replace with fresh, then feed with a granular fertiliser such as Vitax Q4 or Miracle Gro All purpose.
They will also benefit from fortnightly feeding with a high-potash liquid tomato fertiliser during their growing cycle.
It is also important to remember to leave their foliage in place after flowering has finished. Let it die back naturally, as this returns nutrients to the bulbs to feed them for the next year’s flowering.
