I think I'd return it and get my money back. This can happen when you buy leftover bulbs at the end of the season. They've been hanging around too long and start to rot.

The roots are fine, removing dried roots isn't anything out of the ordinary and you might have been able to peel away until you got down to clean flesh but that rot on the bud would send me right back to the store with it!!

If they talk you into trying another bulb, look it over really good before you take it home!! good Luck!

Donna

I think I'll take your suggestion Donna. I should have had a better look at the bulb through the mesh bag. I am not interested in a bulb that isn't going to perform. Being an amateur (but trying my best), I really want a bulb to bloom nicely because I don't know how long it will be before I get it to bloom again. Even on sale, then it's no deal! Thanks Donna!

I was curious about the roots on the bulb as I couldn't find any photos on the forum of healthy, new bulbs with their roots. That's why I had asked about the roots.

Roots are fine, and bulb looks ok except it's not going to bloom. If you only paid a couple bucks for it, I'd keep it for next year. They bloom pretty reliably if you let them dry out and then water them well. Super easy to take care of, just let them do their thing in bright sun, you can even put them outside for the summer, and then bring them in to bloom in the fall.

I did get the bulb on sale. Paid about $6 Canadian. I did return the bulb. If it wasn't going to bloom, I didn't want to wait months before it did. All the bulbs purchased from the store were meant to bloom after planting. I probably would have been able to get my money back if the bulb had not bloomed. Thanks Jenny.