Planting Anemone in Pots

Layer 1 inch of gravel in the bottom of a pot; ensure the gravel is large enough to not fall out of the drainage holes. Add enough manure compost to fill the pot one-third of the way. Fill the pot with an equal mixture of potting soil and sand atop the manure compost, stopping 2 inches from the top of the pot. This provides the well-drained yet nutritious soil anemone requires.

Poke anemone bulbs in the soil, about 3 inches below the surface; it does not matter what end faces toward the top. Place them about 1/4 inch apart if you would like to plant multiple bulbs to fill the pot. Add as many bulbs as you would like, stopping 1/4 inch from the sides of the pot. Plant the anemone during early fall.

Add enough water to soak the soil until it runs out of the pot’s drainage holes. Place the pot in a cool area that maintains temperatures between 35 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. A garage or basement is suitable if you live in an area that receives lower temperatures outside. The pot should receive at least six hours of indirect sunlight daily. Water the anemone whenever the soil dries.

Move the pot to a warm area during spring, ensuring it receives at least eight hours of direct sunlight daily. Continue watering the anemone whenever the ground dries. Do not move the pot outside until the last frost has passed if the anemone was indoors during the winter. Within four to six weeks you should notice anemone sprouts.

Place the pot back in the cool, frost-free area once the anemone dies and the leaves turn yellow in fall. Do not remove the leaves until they lift easily away from the pot, otherwise you risk damaging the bulbs. Repeat the process of transferring the anemone to a warm area next spring and the bulbs will bloom again.