7 Bulbs You Should Start Indoors Now For Spring Flowers
Winter might still have a grip on the weather, but the clock is already ticking for your spring garden. Starting bulbs indoors gives you a head start on the season and ensures your patio or flower beds are bursting with color the moment the frost thaws, bypassing any unpredictable early spring weather. If you act today, you'll be rewarded with vibrant flowers while your neighbors are still sporting bare soil.
Begonias
Begonias are a fantastic choice if your garden doesn't get much direct sun, but these tubers need a long lead time to develop their lush foliage and heavy flowers. Start them in shallow trays with the indented side facing up. Keep the soil moist, but never soggy. By the time the outdoor air stays warm at night, you'll have sturdy plants ready to provide a continuous show of color all summer long.
Caladiums
While technically grown for their leaves rather than traditional flowers, Caladiums offer a visual punch that few plants can match. Their heart shaped leaves come in brilliant shades of pink, white, and green. They love warmth, so starting them indoors near a heat vent or on a seedling mat is essential. They're slow to wake up, so don't get discouraged if you don't see sprouts for a few weeks. Your patience will definitely pay off.
Calla Lilies
Calla Lilies bring a touch of sophistication to any space with their sleek, trumpet shaped blooms. Starting them in pots now allows their root systems to establish without the stress of garden pests or cold snaps. Use a well draining potting mix and place them in a bright window. They're surprisingly resilient once they get going. You'll appreciate having these elegant flowers ready to transplant just as the spring gardening fever truly begins to hit.
Dahlias
Dahlias are the champions of the late spring and summer garden, but they require a significant head start. If you wait to plant these tubers directly in the ground, you might miss out on weeks of potential blooms. Pot them up now in gallon sized containers to encourage early sprouting, and make sure they get plenty of light so the stems don't become leggy. You'll end up with much bushier, healthier plants that can more readily handle the transition outdoors.
Gladiolus
Gladiolus add wonderful height to your garden beds and make excellent cut flowers for your kitchen table. While many people plant them in waves outdoors, starting a few dozen indoors now guarantees an early harvest. Plant the corm about four inches deep in a sturdy pot. Since they grow tall and can become top heavy, starting them inside allows you to provide early support or staking before they ever face the wind of the open garden.
Ranunculus
Often called the rose of the spring, Ranunculus produces stunning, paper thin petals in a huge variety of colors. These corms look like tiny dried bananas and need a good soak in room temperature water before planting. They prefer cooler indoor temperatures than some other bulbs, so a bright sunroom or a slightly chilly windowsill is perfect. Starting them now ensures they bloom before the heat of early summer causes them to go dormant.
Cannas
If you want to create a tropical oasis, Cannas are your best friend. These large rhizomes produce massive leaves and fiery, vibrant flowers. They're very sensitive to cold, so they shouldn't go outside until the soil is truly warm, but by starting them in large pots indoors now, you give them the heat they need to break dormancy. You'll have a jump start on a lush, private screen that looks like a vacation in your backyard.
Taking these steps today can really help your future gardening self. There's something deeply satisfying about watching green shoots starting to emerge while the wind still howls outside. It turns the anticipation of spring into a tangible, rewarding project. Once your sprouts are strong and the danger of frost has passed, you can move them to their permanent homes. Your garden is going to look incredible because you took the time to plan ahead.