leaving bulbs in pots....

[cooper44]

I grew tons of tulips and hyacinths and crocuses in layers in pots this spring.....can I just leave them there until next year? Have dead-headed but left foliage to die back. So was thinking I'd just remove that and maybe do a layer of gravel over the top.
If I leave them do I need to water them ever?

I let mine dry out over summer.Apparently tulips like a good dry bake Also feed the pot,now flowering is over,with a foliar feed to replenish the nutrients.
I did this with some pots from last year as a test.The hyacinths and crocus all reflowered but the tulips were very unpredictable.I am going to redo all my pots this year with fresh bulbs and maybe try the mixed colour perennial tulip selection by Sarah Raven.These come up year after year in my garden and are definitely worth a punt.

great thanks for that canny

Yes, as canny says, probably best to let them dry out, once all the leaves have gone. And you may find some bulbs have produced new 'baby' bulbs.

Or, if you have garden space, some could go in the ground. Hyacinths may be less vigorous in subsequent years, but crocus should be fine.

Snowdrops, alliums, and fritillaria are also nice.