Winter Blues? Grow Tulips indoors!

Hello Steemit Community. This is my very first posting. Thank you so much for checking it out, if you like it please follow me.

This has to be one of my absolute favourite projects.

Having Tulips pop up indoors in the midst of a long white winter has to be one of the best things EVER!! Well, at least if you are a garden lover like me, it is. In case you need a reason to try this out, studies have shown that both plants and flowers positively help individuals that suffer seasonal depression.

This project is easy, affordable and definitely worth it! Normally, I prepare this project in the fall, however if you keep your planter in a cold, dark place for 3 or more months you should have the same results, thus being able to grow tulips in containers indoor anytime you want.

Tulips March 2017

You will need:
*Planter(s) of some sort at least 12 inches in (inside top) diameter and 15 Inches in height.
*Tulip Bulbs (5 or more per planter) You don't need to spend much on these. I have purchased bulbs from Dollarama and have had wonderful success growing them in containers.
*Potting Soil
*Small empty container or rocks.
*Water
*Dark cold area to winterize the bulbs.
*Sunny warm location.

Place a layer of rocks or the small empty container upside down (or with its lid on) in the bottom of the planter. This will help with drainage and if your planter is very large you can help reduce weight by using a small empty container.

Then fill your planter with soil. You have 2 options when it comes to planting your bulbs you can space each as per the packaging (or a bit closer ignoring rows) or you can plant them extremely close together at about 1 per inch of diameter of the planter. For example 12 Inches in diameter would be at least 12 bulbs in the planter and at the same dept as you would normally plant outdoors (2 - 3 times the bulbs height in depth). I prefer leaving more space between the bulbs to encourage the blooming of the anther (the head of the tulip with the petals), I have found that with less space they seem to struggle coming into full bloom.

Once the bulbs are planted place the planter in a cold dark place for about 3 months (or at least 10 weeks, I usually wait 12 - 14 weeks). I store mine in my garage in the late fall to early winter usually with something over the soil to keep it dark and protected from random things. Water the soil, and make a note or set a reminder to water once every 3 - 4 weeks (about 2 or 3 times) while in winterization. Bring the planter into the house when ready to start the growth process and place in a warm sunny spot. Give the planter a decent watering at least once a week. Within a few days to a week or so you will start to see the tulips emerge.

Tulips emerging March 2018

Alternatively:
Instead of storing inside a sheltered dark area you can place the planter directly outside in the late fall and let it bloom naturally in the planter as spring arrives. Ensure the planter receives water through rain, snow or watering at least once every 3 - 4 weeks (as you would indoors) until the tulips start to emerge, then increase watering to at least once a week. This is a wonderful solution for small outdoor spaces.

Allow your creativity to shine. Play around with different spacing, types of tulips mix and match early and late season or keep them all the same. Sky is the limit. This coming fall I am going to try some other types of flower bulbs and I will let you know how that turns out.