You don't write what kind of bulbs you've bought. Usually, in fall stores sell spring flowering bulbs. They should be planted in fall. In spring they sell fall flowering bulbs. Those bulbs should be planted in spring.

If 3a is your zone do they really need to be taking up fridge space? Do you have a cold, but not freezing, garage or shed? If potted up now they’ll bloom earlier than if chilled and not potted until spring. Or is that a technique often used in your zone?

And...umm, bare bulbs (not potted) will not do as well as ones allowed to actually umm grow and root in from the fall to the spring. I have no idea actually what bulbs just stored in a standard fridge will do.

I don't store bulbs in the fridge... that's not a good environment to store bulbs in general. But I have been potting up fall bulbs for years. I keep them in my porch where it sometimes sees freezing temps, but it sheltered from harsh freezing and outside conditions.

And not ideal, but I have overwintered pots of bulbs for years too outside- I corral my winter pots into a sheltered niche and bury in leaves for the winter.

I didn't have luck with potting up bulbs (daffs, tulips) and storing in the barn over winter -- they didn't come up, not sure if they rotted out or couldn't take the freeze. I've very successfully over-wintered potted perennials and woodies in the same manner with no problem, so go figure.

Yes, pots of bulbs that freeze through, turn to mush.

Thanks for commenting, everyone! They are mostly daffodils and alliums. I already have thousands in my garden beds, and read an article about storing them in a fridge, layered with newspaper. This is an experiment, so I guess I’ll see how it goes!

I did it twice. I stored them in fridge. First time they turned out great the second time I didn't leave them in the fridge long enough and they came up ,but weak and scrawny.

What climate was that information aimed at, mazerolm? If you get cold winters I don’t understand the need for artificially chilling bulbs.

The primary danger of storing any kind of bulbs in a refrigerator not dedicated to this purpose is that most fruits and many vegetables commonly stored in a frig emit ethylene gas and that will abort or impede any flower development in bulbs.

The temps in winter varies day by day. In the fridge it keeps a constant temp. When I store bulbs , I store them in the garage fridge. Only beverages are stored in there.

If the bulbs are in the ground the temperature also fluctuates and it doesn't bother them. Unless one lives somewhere with insufficiently cold winters, I still can’t see the rationale behind storing them in a fridge. If planted now, either in pots or in the ground, they won’t need storing at all. They can start growing immediately. Why make extra work for oneself?

@floral: I know, I’m crazy, right? :). I bought them very late in the season, when the ground had started to freeze (starts freezing in October) and I had no energy left. I wanted to plant them in pots but I didn’t have any pots nor dirt left. Then I read that it is possible to store them in a fridge so I thought I would try it and clicked the “Add to Cart” button anyway. You’re probably right, it will be a failure but that’s ok! I have plenty of bulbs in my garden beds to make up for it.

@functionthenlook, gardengal: this is a fridge that only has beverages. I’m glad you commented, I will make sure not to store anything else in there.

Thanks!

It should be understood that bulbs don't shoot up with the flowers and leaves suddenly, soon after being planted. True, there is a supply of nutrients in the bulb, but it is needed to keep the bulb alive during dormancy and to start developing roots when the dormancy is broken. After that it is roots turn to do their job. The longer the roots are allowed to develop and gather nutrients from the soil the stronger the whole plant will be.

Contrary to the common beliefs, spring flowering bulbs are naturally dormant only in the summer months (chilling period is a different story). When their foliage dies down soon after flowering, so are their roots. Time to rest and relax, time to sleep or being dormant. In normal conditions, the bare bulb will stay like that for a few months. After that, very early in fall, it will resume active growth, roots first. Very early in spring the leaf and flower buds are already fully formed, ready to emerge from the soil immediately when the conditions allow.

Life is strong, not easily extinguished, spring planted spring flowering bulbs will start growing, too. There is no time for the proper, slow growing and strength gathering, though. The bulb will develop the above the ground parts at its own cost. This approach may work sometimes, but usually not for long. Even if the bulb will flower the same year, it often does not have enough strength to stay alive and will die later.

“bought them very late in the season, when the ground had started to freeze (starts freezing in October) and I had no energy left. I wanted to plant them in pots but I didn’t have any pots nor dirt left.”. I love your honesty and it perfectly describes situations I myself have faced. I empathize with your “Hail Mary” attempt to save your bulbs! Hope it works out for you.

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK The ground temp does not fluctuate like the air temp. Bulbs when planted in the fall develop roots, some 1 ft deep. The roots collect substances from the ground as it gets colder and makes like its own antifreeze to keep the bulb from freezing. Bulbs you buy in the fall do not have the antifreeze needed to survive being frozen if put in the ground too late or in a pot left outside. Even if you do plant them in a pot at fall planting time you need to place the pot into the ground for the bulbs to survive.

I've never tried bulbs in a fridge except when I attempted to force hyacinths in water glasses a while back. But last fall (2019) I was so busy that I had bulbs I wasn't able to get to so end of November I planted them in pots. Too bad you ran out of soil to do that! Although, I am in a warmer zone than you are. (I hardly ever get to say that. lol) These were species tulips and did very well in pots kept close to the house on my deck with a little snow making it to them and pulled into the sun on warmer days in spring.

I managed to get about half in the ground after they flowered and started dying back in the pot, so I'll see this coming spring if they were able to store enough energy by doing it that way.

Hi, thought I’d give an update on my forced bulbs. Alliums were the first ones to pop out, and I can see many daffodils and hyacinths. Today is the first day I’ve been taking them outside because it was too cold (-10c or colder). I see lots of foliage but the real test of course is will I see flowers?

I’ll give another update in a few weeks! :)

@mazerolm - I am hoping to see blooms along with you. If I planted bulbs they were always stolen so I stopped trying to plant any in the fall. When did you plant the bulbs? Did you plant in pots outdoors or shelter them in a garage?

Thanks @Patti Chicago Zone 5b/6a! That is so unfortunate that your bulbs were stolen :(

Mine remained in a fridge for about 3 months then planted in pots in an unheated garage.

What sort of Alliums are they? I’m surprised they’re up before the daffodils. In my garden the daffs have been blooming for a few weeks whereas my Purple Sensations are less than six inches high.

@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK: mine are also Purple Sensation

The bunnies and the squirrels dig them all up and run away. I should have stated that. The squirrels 🐿 around my area are plentiful.

Interesting, mazerolm. I wonder why yours have come up in a curious order.