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Bulb Lasagna Query

#1 · 7th June 2024, 8:16 am

Hello,

I’m Rachel. I live up north. I am getting into gardening a little bit more and I love the idea of preparing pots using the bulb lasagna method.
I’ve seen lots of inspo and advice for creating spring pots and lots for creating summer pots. However I’ve not seen anything for pots that contain both spring and summer bulbs in the same pot!
Is it something that can be done? Does it work ? Could the later blooming summer bulbs be the bottom layer and the spring on top ?
Sorry if this is a daft question. Thank you xx

#2 · 7th June 2024, 11:37 am

Hi @rachelsarah12

Thanks for getting in touch, and welcome to the Garden Ninja community!

Bulb lasagnas are a popular way of growing bulbs in containers. Planting flower bulbs in a "lasagne" or layered technique can create a continuous bloom from early spring to late summer. However, this method can present some challenges.

They are often opted for on social media because building and planting them is fun and intriguing. HOWEVER, what the Instagram gardeners don't tell you (probably because they don't know themselves) is that this kind of growing is very short-term.

The problems with bulb lasagne are:

They expend their resources within a year (meaning you have to replant them EVERY YEAR - What a faff!)
Often the old foliage gets in the way of the new bulbs, leading to very tatty-looking pots
They need huge amounts of water and liquid feed, making them HIGH MAINTENANCE
After year 1 the bulbs all get entwined with each other making for a very messy divorce and separation.

Best Summer Bulbs

Try some of these bulbs (and corms) for summer flowering.

Gladioli
Lillies
Crocosmia
Alliums

Alternatives to bulb lasagne

I find a better method is to use bulbs sparingly amongst a few herbaceous perennials or grasses in container gardening. That way, you don't have to start again from scratch every year or feed endlessly. Bulbs always work better in the ground, so take a look at my how-to-plant-bulb guide and even how to naturalise them in a lawn! Easy peasy.

Don't be put off, though. Gardening is a fabulous hobby that offers endless learning and enrichment. Welcome to the community.

Lee Garden Ninja

#3 · 7th June 2024, 5:07 pm

Oh wow! Thanks so much for the reply. I had no idea that would be the case.
I will stick to placing them in between perennials in a border and keep my pots for something else. This is an awesome website and forum and I really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly