storing tulips over winter inside?

by Joy
(Cleveland, Ohio)

I'm working on a school garden project and was given a lot of beautiful tulip bulbs from a local nursery at the end of the season. We did not have a chance to plant them before the ground froze. How should we be storing the bulbs and is it possible to still plant them in the spring once the ground unthaws?



Doug says to store tulips through the winter - put them in the crisper of the frig.

That's your best bet. Check on them weekly and if any are going soft, remove and toss the infected ones away.

You might get them through - or you might not. It would have been much better to plant them but you do what you can do. They may or may not bloom but you'll likely get enough through to get some blooms (or they'll surprise you and give you a ton of flowers). Hard to say - it depends on the size of the bulbs and too many other factors to make a serious prediction.

Do not allow them to sit on a dry shelf (they'll dry out and die)

Plant outside as soon as the frost is out of the ground

Good luck.

Store Bulbs Over Winter?

I bought about 30-40 bulbs, intending to plant. I managed to injure myself, and despite the injury beginning to heal, have been told not to try to do anything like gardening for the next few weeks. The soil is hard-packed clay, and I had intended to work in a fertilizer/mulch that the garden store recommended specifically for tulips in my area, so even if I waited until I was completely better, I think it would be too difficult with (likely) frozen soil. Now what do I do? I'd like to try to store the bulbs until next fall, if that is possible. I live in Minnesota, and though it's been unseasonably warm until just a week ago, we have had two snows (melted during the day, but did stick overnight) already.

Doug says you either plant them or you kill them. That's your call. If you can't plant them outdoors - congratulations you've just won a trip to plant them indoors. Follow the page on forcing tulips and you'll be fine if you give them the requisite cold period.

You can try to store them in the crisper of the frig but.....

Just don't leave them on the shelf somewhere to dry out (toss 'em now if that's all you have or give them to a good friend).

Good luck

Storage of Tulip Bulbs

by Jacqueline
(Durham, NC)

I work for a Southern University and the garden people always dig up the tulips and throw them away. This year they offered the bulbs to employees. How do I store them? They did not wait for the green part to die out they cut that part off and gave the bulbs to the employees. Will they bloom next year?

Doug says they may or may not bloom next year but don't bet the farm on it. Store cool and dry or simply replant right away and let the bulb decide if it's going to throw new leaves to replenish itself or go dormant. I'd replant

Roots and storage

by Stephanie
(London, UK)

How do I prep the bulbs for storage. Do I need to take off roots? Do I separate the small bulbs from the big ones?

Thanks,
Stephanie

Doug says that generally, all you have to do is allow the bulb to dry thoroughly and "cure" by leaving it in the sunlight for a week or two (without raining and getting it wet)

You can sort or not depending on whether you want to replant into a growing-on bed with the smaller ones but there's not cultural need to sort or remove roots or do anything once the bulb is well and truly dormant.

Can I store my bulbs in the refrigerator

by Gina Christensen
(St Joseph Mo USA)

would storing them in the cold help me be able to still plant in the spring as soon as the soil thaws enough to break and get blooms? I would hate to lose them from bad storage

Doug says you can try. They should have been planted in the fall. As a last resort you can put them in the crisper

Storing Tulip Bulbs until Fall

by Patti
(Watertown, NY)

I want your advice as to what is the best medium to store my tulip bulbs in that I received in a pot at Easter time. I know to keep them dry and cool, but don't know what to put them in. Thank you in advance.

Doug says a paper bag works well or small open wicker basket so the air circulation can keep them fungus-free.

Storing bulbs in a pot?

by Willy
(Metepec, México)

I live in México an have tulips for the first time, I would like to grow them for as long as possible.

What can I do to keep them? I know they need a domrant period, can I let them dry, in the pot, after all leaves are yellow and store them in a dark, dry place?

Doug says yes, you can do exactly that. Your problem is going to be giving them a long enough cold period to have the bulbs form flower buds. Here's an article on this

any way to store bulbs over the winter

I got a really good buy on bulbs from the store where I work.
I have hundreds of bulbs from tulip to hyacinth to crocus etc. The ground is starting to freeze, I won't have the time to plant the majority of them and may want to give some away as Christmas presents. Any way I can store them till spring to plant? I live ni Northern, WI
Thanks

Doug says - sorry no. You can try the refrigerator but don't hold your breath. You can also plant them up now in pots and keep them really cool till you want to start growing them again. Sorry your "deal" didn't really work out.