I think Alan means they have a sprout before planting.

Crocus often sprout in the bag if they’ve been badly stored. It’s not a problem. Just plant them.

If you mean that little knob that appears in the center of the bulb, I find that to be standard on any type of crocus. And while it will eventually grow into the shoot that produces foliage and flowers, it should be firmly dormant at this point in time.

Many fall planted bulbs can respond to planting by pushing out some leaf growth and that is seldom of any concern. It doesn't typically affect how they grow and flower in the spring.

yes. That little knob. Every time I'm ordered/planted crocus *not much*, I've had that little *shoot*. Was asking GW bretheren if this was just a-typical of crocus.

Since every crocus I have ever planted has that emerging 'knob' I would consider it to be very typical rather than atypical :-)

Yes, if I didn't see an incipient sprout, I would think the bulb defective :)

Heh, I recall where GG says she buys her bulbs locally. Lucky Her.

I mailorder mine. I have received a bad batch only a handful of times. Heh, buying locally is nice. Kinda like picking fruit in the supermarket.

I haven't been able to buy locally for bulbs (if I wanted something that big box stores don't stock) for a long time.

And my taste isn't tulips and daffodils...so...

Yes, I buy mine locally. Every fall, right before Labor Day, area nurseries bring in a pretty impressive array of spring blooming, fall planted bulbs. At about the same time a much reduced selection is available at the box stores, Costco, etc. All manner of narcissus and tulips, crocus and hyacinths. And a pretty decent selection of lesser bulbs....fritillaries, snowdrops, muscari, winter aconites, chionodoxa, anemones, etc. I have only done mail order for harder to find stuff.......cardiocrinums, for example.

But to be honest, I am usually very tired of gardening in any form when fall hits :-) Planting bulbs at that time......when the rains have reappeared.....is not high on my priority list! So most of my bulbs get planted "in the green" in spring when they appear as starts at the nursery. And the bonus is I don't have to be patient and wait months to see them and the squirrels leave them alone!!

I timed my 2018 bulb plantings between the fall rains. It was a 2 weeks earlier than I would have, but the soil was nice and dry and I knew rains were coming. Digging out wet soil ain't back healthy.

The nursery offerings locally for bulbs...well they aren't any better than big box stores...same stuff, same quality, same suppliers usually, just a bit more expensive.