How to Grow Pips in a Pocket

November 10, 2014
Cultivate the essence of spring in a pocket pot by growing fragrant lily-of-the-valley weeks ahead of the usual gardening season.
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Pips in a pocket pot

You can mail-order prechilled lily-of-the-valley pips, also known as rhizomes or rootstock. Once your pips arrive, gather the following materials: potting mix, sphagnum moss, Better Than Rocks, a bucket full of warm water and a pocket pot.

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Step 1: Soak pips

Soak the pips in warm water for an hour. Trim the roots, keeping them at least 4 inches long but short enough to fit in the pot.

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Step 2: Add soil and plant pips

Next, cover the bottom of the pot with a 1- to 2-inch layer of sand. Add premoistened potting mix to just below the pot's lowest pockets. Plant several pips in each pocket, and cover the roots with potting mix.

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Step 3: Create drainage channel

Cover the potting mix with a small handful of dampened sphagnum moss to keep the mix in place. Then use scissors to cut a 2-by-8-inch chunk of Better Than Rocks and stand it in the center of the pot. This will create a channel to facilitate watering and drainage.

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Step 4: Add more soil

Once you've filled any open areas, cover the pips with potting mix. Slowly water plantings in the center pot, allowing moisture to channel into the pockets. 

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Step 5: Final touches

After planting, set the pot in a 60-degree area with indirect light from a north or west window. When buds develop, move the pot to a spot in the house where you can enjoy your blooms, or place it outside if weather permits.

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