JenniferJoIN
Leafing Out
One of the local stores, Menards, has all their bulbs for $1.00. (marked down from at least $4.00) So if I stock up this year, will they still be good to plant next year?
Will on-sale bulbs be good next year?
- Thread starter JenniferJoIN
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nccountrygirl
Garden Ornament
Most bulbs are planted in the fall so they will bloom in the spring. Buy them and keep them in a paper bag in a dark clost till fall and plants them then.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
But you probably mean these are *summer* bulbs, yes, like dahlia, gladiolus, begonia, that sort of thing? If so, you will NOT be able to keep them til next spring. Your best bet would be to plant them now, then (any that sprout and grow) you will probably have to cut any flower-stalks off and force them into dormancy for fall, then store them for next year and cross yer fingers. I would not hold my breath but you never know.
Unless I have misunderstood the situation?
Good luck,
Pat
Unless I have misunderstood the situation?
Good luck,
Pat
- Thread starter
- #4
JenniferJoIN
Leafing Out
The few bulbs I picked up said to be planted in March-April. So would those be considered summer bulbs?
If I do let them grow and force them into dormancy, how do I store them?
If I do let them grow and force them into dormancy, how do I store them?
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Yup, those would be summer bulbs. (Nobody's going to have fall bulbs on sale -- or even *for* sale -- this time of year... that would be tulips, daffodils, that sort of thing.)
If you're going to go ahead and do it, I'd soak the poor desiccated things in warm (not hot) water for a couple hours before planting, then take ULTRA good care of them in hopes they will grow. At all. If they do, make sure to remove any flowers that try to form. A month or so before your first frost date, quit watering them and you might remove any mulch that was around them. You want them to say 'Uh oh, end of season, must withdraw nutrients from foliage back down into bulb!'. The leaves should start yellowing.
Once the tops have mostly died off, and generally just before your first frost (tho it varies somewhat among type of bulb), dig them up gently, lay them in a single layer on a well-ventilated piece of screening or wire shelving or etc in a dim cool airy place for a week or so to dry off. Shake (and gently rub) the dirt off. You should look up the storage requirements for the particular kind of bulb you have, but in general they need to be cool but not freezing (like, 45-50 F) and not real damp but not real dry either. Packing them in very slightly damp sand or peatmoss can help, but makes it harder to keep an eye out for mold or rot starting. Inspect periodically so you can toss out ucky ones before 'one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel'. If they're getting questionable towards the end of winter, you can cheat by potting them up early and growing them indoors at first, IF you have appropriate very very bright light conditions.
Quite honestly, they are likely to be a waste of money this time of year, especially since these are probably the prepackaged ones that are of questionable value even in April
Good luck,
Pat
If you're going to go ahead and do it, I'd soak the poor desiccated things in warm (not hot) water for a couple hours before planting, then take ULTRA good care of them in hopes they will grow. At all. If they do, make sure to remove any flowers that try to form. A month or so before your first frost date, quit watering them and you might remove any mulch that was around them. You want them to say 'Uh oh, end of season, must withdraw nutrients from foliage back down into bulb!'. The leaves should start yellowing.
Once the tops have mostly died off, and generally just before your first frost (tho it varies somewhat among type of bulb), dig them up gently, lay them in a single layer on a well-ventilated piece of screening or wire shelving or etc in a dim cool airy place for a week or so to dry off. Shake (and gently rub) the dirt off. You should look up the storage requirements for the particular kind of bulb you have, but in general they need to be cool but not freezing (like, 45-50 F) and not real damp but not real dry either. Packing them in very slightly damp sand or peatmoss can help, but makes it harder to keep an eye out for mold or rot starting. Inspect periodically so you can toss out ucky ones before 'one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel'. If they're getting questionable towards the end of winter, you can cheat by potting them up early and growing them indoors at first, IF you have appropriate very very bright light conditions.
Quite honestly, they are likely to be a waste of money this time of year, especially since these are probably the prepackaged ones that are of questionable value even in April
Good luck,
Pat
- Thread starter
- #6
JenniferJoIN
Leafing Out
That figures! I was all excited, hoping for a deal. But I guess you get what you pay for!
Thank you for the advice!
Thank you for the advice!
Debby
Chillin' In The Garden
I've done that before. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Just get them in the ground ASAP and keep them watered. I've even had daffodils do well when I was forced to plant forty of them in the spring. I wouldn't recommend trying that a home, kids. But it worked that time and they sure were cheap.
Now I cruise the Home Cheapos and Low$ and watch for that exact thing every year.
Debby
But it worked that time and they sure were cheap.Now I cruise the Home Cheapos and Low$ and watch for that exact thing every year.
Debby
msbear
Chillin' In The Garden
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I bought mother's day tulips on sale at Lowe's last year and put them in the ground right away.
They came up this year but didn't bloom... same thing with some paperwhites I planted next to them... got them at Lowe's too.. :/
anyone know what's up?
They came up this year but didn't bloom... same thing with some paperwhites I planted next to them... got them at Lowe's too.. :/
anyone know what's up?
Debby
Chillin' In The Garden
I had that same result when I planted some Home Depot bulbs in the wrong season. I'm hoping after a year or two of rest, they gather their strength and start blooming again. We'll see.msbear said:
Debby
