Garden & Container Planting
Like all flower bulbs, Spanish bluebells need a cold period to develop their roots and get ready for spring. So once you feel fall’s first chill in the air, it’s time to get planting. If you live in hardiness zone 9 or higher, the soil won’t get cold enough for the root-developing process to happen, but you might conside
How to plant Spanish bluebells in containers:
- Wait until it’s cold outside, with a soil temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. In the North this will be in September or October, in the South in October or November.
- Pick a spot in your garden that gets full sun or partial shade.
- Find a well-draining container and fill it with loose soil, making sure water won’t gather and stay at the bottom.
- Plant the Spanish bluebell bulbs about 3-4” deep and 4-6” apart, placing them in the soil with their pointy ends up. Since containers often have limited space, you can also experiment with placing the bulbs closer together, but make sure they never touch.
- Water well once and wait for spring, or, when you live in hardiness zone 3-7, water well and bring the containers indoors, letting them spend the winter in a cool spot like an unheated garage or basement.
- After the Spanish bluebells have bloomed don’t cut off the foliage. Leave it until it’s completely withered and yellow, then remove.
