Narcissus question

[caroline7758]

Slightly embarrassed to admit that I bought some tete-a tetes in pots this morning, cheap on the market. (I know, should have planted bulbs myself but never got round to it). Anyway, the bulbs are sitting on the surface of the compost and they are crammed into small pots. I may have wasted my money but I was wondering whether I should plant them lower in the ground and also whether I should split them up, or is this likely to damage them? I'll probably use them in pots on the patio.

[caroline7758]

[Obelixx]

I've done this before purely to have some flowers in the house before my own get going.  I grow them on in the pot until the flowers finis.   I do give a good soaking in water with some tomato food in it and then drain and display.  repeat as necessary.  When the flowers are spent, I carry on feeding and watering in a sheltered corner outside and then, when the leaves have gone over, I plant them in the ground where I want them to grow next year.

I don't think it would be helpful to split them and plant them now at the appropriate depth as you would be burying about half their leaves and, at worst, they might rot and, at best, you'd be burying half the food factory for next year's flowers.

[Palustris]

Don't split them, you would do too much damage to the roots. When we have bought things like this (usually when the shop is ready to throw them away) we plant them as is at the correct depth for the species and leave them to get on with it. Even if it means burying some of the bases of the leaves, it works. Mind it also works  the Obelixx way too.

[Redalder]

I do it the Obeliixx way except I usually put them outside and forget about them until I come across the pot in the Autumn, by which time the label has been eaten by slugs or fallen off. It is a nice supprise in the spring when they come up where I planted them.

[Tee Gee]

I think it has been all said, the only thing I would add is:

Because the bulbs are pot bound and about to flower they will need watering quite regularly at least once a day, perhaps twice if you have them in a centrally heated house.

You could add a half strength general liquid at every watering or full strength every two or three days until they die back.( I prefer the half strength method)

Once you have enjoyed them then plant them out where you want them to appear.

I prefer to plant out in clumps so perhaps all you will need to dig a hole of a similar size to the pot, remove the rootball from the pot and plant the bulbs then sit back and wait till next year to enjoy the flowering cycle once more..... and more.... and more....