Can I plant these bulbs now?

May 22, 2008 1:46 PM

Bulbs filter...Can I plant these or should I stick them in the fridge?

I've never dealt with any bulb except the standard daffodil. An online nursery had an end of season grabbag marked from almost 200 that I ended up getting for 25 with some fancy online coupon magic. I don't know what do with them.

I just got a shipment of way discount bulbs because apparently these bulbs should be planted more like April for summer blooms. So can I put them in the ground? I live in Georgia and we have a looong summer, so it'll be hot enough to qualify for summer way into September.

It looks like I got some glads, satisfaction lily trees,grand paridoiso lilys, peacock orchids, and shamrock iron cross bulbs, then some dahlia, orange glory flower, lady's mantle, and 4'oclocks root clumbs (rhizomes?).

All of these are supposed to be perinneal in nature. I also have a big bag of daffodil's but I guess I can put those in the fridge and plant them in the fall/winter.

So what should I do with all this bulby mess?

posted by stormygrey to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

I say stick them in the ground. Bulbs are used to being dormant for most of the year. The reason they're sold at a certain time is that gardeners are impatient and want them to bloom ASAP -- not because they have to go in the ground on a certain date.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:07 PM on May 22, 2008

If they're unhappy with being planted now, they may just leaf out and not bloom, but as long as they don't rot in the ground, they will come up and bloom next year. I don't think you'll have a problem with most of them, though.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:02 PM on May 22, 2008

Fridge is too cold and damp. If you don't plant them (and I don't know why you wouldn't) put them in a cool, dark, airy place like a basement. They'll rot in the fridge.
posted by nax at 3:09 PM on May 22, 2008

I would plant them. I don't know some of them, but the glads, peacock orchids and 4 o'clocks will probably bloom this year.
posted by violette at 3:10 PM on May 22, 2008

Keep bulbs cool and dry through summer, put them in the fridge for 4 to 6 weeks in early autumn, plant them out in mid autumn.

Daffodils shouldn't need much chilling unless you're in a quite warm place, tulips definitely need it.
posted by wilful at 9:04 PM on May 22, 2008

I say plant 'em. They'll be happier in the ground, even if you don't get blooms this summer.
posted by desuetude at 6:45 AM on May 23, 2008

Those are all summer bulbs (except for the daffodils), you're in luck! The glads, dahlias, and lilies will all flower this year. This is the perfect time to plant them. Though don't wait much longer.

Daffodils don't actually need to be chilled (you may be confusing them with tulips). Put them in the ground, they will do fine. They probably won't flower yet, but let them put out foliage until it dies back.

The only reason these bulbs wouldn't come up - and the likely reason they were on sale - is because they've been sitting on the shelf for so long that they may have dried out and died. Keep in mind that they were probably harvested between last July-September, and may have been in some warehouse for all those months. If any bulb looks particularly shriveled, try soaking it overnight before planting.
posted by GardenGal at 1:40 PM on May 23, 2008