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anthrogirl78

Now what do I do?

16 years ago

Hi all,

Like many other posters I have seen on this board, I did not plant my fall bulbs (tulips, daffs, hyacinths) in the fall like I should have. I got them in the ground (and some in large pots) in March and most of them bloomed.

Now, I have two questions..

Do I just let the foliage die back as I would normally and trim it then? I am wondering if the bulbs will even come back next year since I was so late getting them planted and kind of "forced" them.

Second, when should I re-plant the bulbs in the pots? I put them there because I just couldn't get that many holes dug in my beds and I wanted to get them into some dirt any way I could :) Ideally, however, they will go into an existing perennial bed.

Thanks in advance!

Sydney

Comments (5)

  • 16 years ago

    Golden Rule: allow foliage to ripen. Why sap them again?

    Replanting: after foliage has ripened, pots or garden.

  • 16 years ago

    And congratulations on getting your bulbs to bloom in pots. I never have any luck doing that with almost all spring flowering bulbs (Lilies being the exception). Last fall I tried again with some almost indestructible Jonquils and another pot of Muscari. Not one bloom. The ones I planted in the ground on the other hand came up like gangbusters (and we have heavy clay soil). Go figure. It's got something to do with the watering I'm sure. Too much and you get rot (as was the case with my dafs in the pots), too little and your bulbs sprout roots that dry up over winter. So planting in March may have been a good thing for you. Less time for the water situation to have an effect. My point is that if you want to play it safe, try and get them into the ground this fall. All except the Tulips (which may go 2 years, may not in our area), should perennialize much better for you in the ground.

  • 16 years ago

    1. Let the foliage die back
    2. Then plant outside. If you wait until the fall you have one more thing to worry about -- too much watering, not enough, etc.

  • 16 years ago

    Over midsummer they 'should' be dormant. (I wish bulbs could read!)

    Tip out your pot of bulbs, one by one, and see what you have. Keep the label for the one you're working on close to hand.

    With the Hyacinths and daffodils particularly you'll probably find they've multiplied so you'll either need to thin them out or allow more space for them in the garden. Remember to label them - and you may want to make a note of when you planted them up, too.

    About now, if you have Narcissus fly in your area, be very careful about covering with some additional potting mix any daff bulbs that are close to the surface in your pots. The larvae travel down the path left by the dying leaves and then burrow into the bulb for a long and hearty snack. There's usually not much left by planting time. :-(

    If you leave your repotting until autumn you'll probably be met with a dense clump of bulbs already well into root production. If the soil in the pot is very dry then in may shake out enough for you to separate the bulbs to give them better growing conditions. Usually they snuggle together like kitties in a comforter, though.

    Even tulips will do this, though not all species or varieties.

    Earlier is better for that pre-planting inspection and sort.

  • 16 years ago

    I am glad to read vetivart8 advice to LOOK at your bulbs naked, they don't mind, and it sure helps to know what is happening. It is also a good rule to work on only one species at a time to prevent mixing them up. Al

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