Helpful information
Timing: Autumn
Where to do it: Indoors
Garden space: Indoors
Timing: Autumn
Where to do it: Indoors
Garden space: Indoors
When you think of bulbs, you might first think of plants like tulips. You plant these bulbs outside in autumn ready for garden colour in the spring.
Not all bulbs have to be grown in the garden. There are several varieties that you can enjoy keeping indoors. You can start growing many of these in autumn, giving the welcome sight of flowers in your home over winter.
Hyacinth
Timing: Plant in September for Christmas flowers
If you want to grow hyacinths indoors, you are best buying special pre-prepared hyacinth bulbs. These are a little bit more expensive than normal hyacinth bulbs. This is because they have been treated to help them flower early.
If you plant your pre-prepared hyacinth bulbs inside in September, they should flower for Christmas. If you plant them later, they will just flower later.
You can also buy regular hyacinth bulbs for growing outside in your garden.
Paperwhites
Timing: Flowers around 6-8 weeks after planting
Paperwhites are closely related to daffodils. You can see the similarities. They are delicate looking and have a distinctive scent.
In a warm room, they can flower pretty quickly – possibly as soon as six weeks after planting. If you would like flowers before Christmas, try to plant in October.
Amaryllis
Timing: Flowers around 7-10 weeks after planting
Amaryllis is brilliant to grow inside. It has large flowers and there are many beautiful varieties and colours.
Placed in a nice, warm room you should enjoy flowers as soon as seven weeks after planting.
You could plant amaryllis bulbs every two weeks in October / November. This will give you stunning flowers in your home through the winter.
Miniature iris
These are very pretty little flowers. A little extra thought is needed when growing indoors to help them flower.
After planting, place them somewhere cool for 10-15 weeks. It wants to be below 10 degrees – an unheated garage for example. Once the shoots are long enough, bring them inside to enjoy the flowers.
It is sensible to wear gloves when handling bulbs, as some may cause skin irritation.
You can have a lot of fun growing bulbs indoors. You could experiment with different ways and see what is most successful
1. In a hyacinth vase
Bulbs to try: prepared hyacinths
The great thing about growing bulbs in a vase is you get to see the roots developing below. It’s a real chance to see nature in action.
Some people buy a special hyacinth vase. You could also use a jam jar if it has a narrow neck. The idea is that the bulb is held in place just above the water as it grows.
Read our guide to growing hyacinths in water for step by step instructions.
2. In a tall vase
Bulbs to try: paperwhites
A little bit like growing in a hyacinth vase, when you grow paperwhites in a clear container you can enjoy seeing the roots develop.
The difference is that the bulb is placed on a surface of pebbles or gravel, instead of just into the water.
Read our guide to growing paperwhite bulbs in a vase for step by step instructions.
3. In a bowl of compost
Bulbs to try: hyacinths, paperwhites, amaryllis, miniature iris
The more traditional way of growing bulbs is in a bowl full of compost.
Generally, when we plant bulbs we place them deep into soil. When growing bulbs so they flower indoors, they are not planted as deeply. Leave the very top of the bulb poking above the surface of the compost.
You can decorate the surface with moss, gravel, glass or decorative stone if you would like to make a nice gift.
Read our guide to growing bulbs in compost indoors for step by step instructions.
Once your bulbs have finished flowering, you could plant the bulbs outside in your garden.
Some, like hyacinths, might not flower very well outside the next year. Paperwhites are also not very likely to survive in very cold weather.
But, you can still give it a go and see what happens!