Spring Flower bulbs - UPDATED WITH A PICTURE

[Fluff]

I went to Walmart a couple weeks ago and all there flower bulbs were on clearence.
I bought a variety and Planted them in a huge flower pot in the house and I looked today and they all are coming up already..
SPRING IN THE HOUSE EARLY. :watering
When they bloom I will post a picture

This week is going to be in the 50's in NY so I am going to go back and get some more and
plant them along the edge of the yard. for spring. :happy_flower

 

[Buff Shallots]

Fluff, I would love to know how the bulbs turn out. I'm sure lots of people buy bulbs in the fall and then run out of time to plant them outside. It would be great to have them bloom without an outdoor cold period!

 

[patandchickens]

It would be great to have them bloom without an outdoor cold period!

Yup, if these are regular outdoors-type flower bulbs (not amaryllis or paperwhites) I am afraid your odds are not great if you haven't had a chance to give them at least a month of cold (fridge, outdoors, whatever). They're likely to throw all foliage and no flowers... Of course, you can plant the resulting leafed-out bulbs in springtime, and fertilize them well, and maybe *next* year you can get some garden flowers out of them!

If the foliage hasn't *really* started coming up yet, just little green points, you might try putting them somewhere they won't freeze too hard (fridge, garage) inside a black plastic garbage bag or light-proof box that you can check inside every week or so, and see if you can't make them wait another month or two, for better chances of bloom.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

I planted some tulips a while ago, but I think they are sick.
For some reason they stoped blooming and their stem is yellow. could it be the cold? .....I live in Arizona

 

[Reinbeau]

I planted some tulips a while ago, but I think they are sick.
For some reason they stoped blooming and their stem is yellow. could it be the cold? .....I live in Arizona

Chicken Boy, in the spring they sprout leaves, bloom and then die off for a rest. Cold doesn't really bother them when they're in bud, but once they're blooming the flowers will wilt with a frost.

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

does that mean that they will come back in Spring?

 

[patandchickens]

Chicken Boy, spring bulbs are a lot like most perennial flowers, in that they flower for a only few weeks or a month, then take the rest of the year off. Only with bulbs, after the flower fades and the foliage matures and 'grows on' a bit, the plant sucks all the nutrients back out of the aboveground part of the plant (the leaves die) and it disappears completely til the next year, sitting waiting underground in the bulb.

Unfortunately, like most spring bulbs, tulips need a certain amount of cold before they will form a flower bud for the next year. That is why planting 'em right out of the store in midwinter or spring may not produce flowers. This may be a problem for you in Arizona, unless you are at high altitude. If they do not get enough 'chill hours', the bulb may (possibly) survive but no new flower will ever form again.

Really ambitious people in "winterless" climates will dig the bulbs and store them in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks before replanting them. Otherwise these bulbs will act as annuals (flower one year, then you toss 'em on the compost heap), not as enduring perennials.

Plus, a lot of the really 'fancy' tulip varieties do not last well from year to year even in colder climates (the older varieties and species tulips are more likely to perenniate).

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

Thanks Pat!


That realy helped. I'll try the fridge this year. Just one question: do they still grow when they are in the fridge?

Thanks Again,
Chicken_Boy

 

[Txchikngardners]

No - just put the bulbs in a brown paper bag - no soil - and they are dormant while they cool off.

Then re-plant in February for spring flowers.

We've had to do that several times with my mom's prized Easter Lillies during some really warm winters.

Brenda

 

[patandchickens]

Well if you don't do it right they may grow mold... but I am guessing that was not what you meant?

The bulb is still alive, but as Brenda says, they're dormant. Like when you store onions. Dirtier, uglier versions of how they looked when you first bought them from the store. You know?

You need to check them periodically if you are cold-treating them in the fridge (same applies to northern gardeners who have 'em in there, potted up, for forcing) to make sure they aren't rotting or molding, and to make sure they haven't taken it into their head to start sending out leaves. In the relatively uncommmon event that they *do* start putting up leaves, either throw 'em out, or pot em up (or plant them) REAL QUICK to save the bulb... you may not get flowers but at least you may be able to keep the bulb going vegetatively til next year.

Pat