Pots after the spring bulbs have finished

[takeabrolly]

I have several pots with daffs and tulips that I planted last year. When they were flowering it all looked great....then they died off and and I was left with straggly leaves so I put them round the side of the house. Out of sight and all that. This year I'd like to do something different. After they've flowered, is there anything I can plant to give me some colour but without taking the bulbs out? It seems such a waste to have these pots but only have colour in them for a few weeks in the spring. If I plant bedding plants, they'll be fighting with the leaves. Should I cut the leaves back? Plant seeds? Help!

I transfer mine into ordinary plastic pots and let the greenery die down. Freeing up the pots for summer plants. In the Autumn I transfer them back to the attractive pots, or plant them in the borders.

Thank you. Do you cut the leaves down or let them die back?

I let them die back. But stick a label in the pot, otherwise in the Autumn it’s just a pot of compost.

But stick a label in the pot, otherwise in the Autumn it’s just a pot of compost. Yes - I've got lots of pots of sprouting daffs simply because I'd forgotten which variety was in which and therefore where to plant them in the garden.

Agree with all of the above. And speaking of labels, has anyone ever found a marking pen that doesn’t fade? I thought Sharpies were the answer, but the labels on my tulips are now pretty much illegible after three months.

I'm in a flat and put spring bulbs in pots on the balcony

Can I remove the bulbs and store them for planting next winter, or are they done after one flowering? I am new to this. Thanks.

@MoonlightInVermont

Agree with all of the above. And speaking of labels, has anyone ever found a marking pen that doesn’t fade? I thought Sharpies were the answer, but the labels on my tulips are now pretty much illegible after three months.

Pencil lasts longer, I find. I use a 2 or 3B.

I usually use pencil for labels. OK, it's not that dark to begin with, but it doesn't fade, and it's possible to scrub it off and re-use the label.

You can keep bulbs going in containers providing you keep feeing them until the leaves die down.

feeding.

Aha. Pencil it shall be from now on. I also have some very fancy slate labels, on which nothing seems to work.