RE: chilling bulbs

OK- thanks.  Apparently she plants these all in pots, so I hope she'll just
hand over the pots.  Then, I can plop the whole pots-worth of soil and bulbs
in the ground and see how they do.  Thanks for the info about tulips- maybe
I just lucked out at my old house, planting them is a cool spot accidently-
I'll plan a bit more this time around.  The dry part shouldn't be any
problem here!  It will stop raining in March or April and then be done until
winter again.

Theresa

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net]On
Behalf Of Kitty Morrissy
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 7:55 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: RE: [CHAT] chilling bulbs


Theresa,
I'd suggest trying a small test the first year your friend gives you the
used bulbs.  Don't put a lot of work into them until you have experience to
base it on.  And be sure your friend has allowed them to yellow.  People
who throw bulbs out normally would not bother letting them die back
naturally.
I'm in a totally different climate from you so I'm just basing this on
things I've read.  Not only do your bulbs need a chilling period, but they
also need an appropriate dormancy.  Tulip bulbs should not be allowed to
get too hot in the summer when they are dormant.  They don't like being
above 70 degrees for any length of time.  I don't know what your soil temp
8 inches down is like in August.  They also like a dry dormancy.  Too much
moisture can do them in.  If I lift bulbs after they die back, say in july,
I place them on screens under the house where it is cool and dry until
October, then replant or give away.


> [Original Message]
> From: Theresa- yahoo <tchessie@yahoo.com>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 12/11/2002 8:26:44 PM
> Subject: RE: [CHAT] chilling bulbs
>
> Hmmmm, interesting I know alot of people who chill their bulbs in the
> fridge- but these are also people who don't expect them to bloom but one
> year and then (gasp)toss them  In fact, I found out yesterday that my
> officemate does this every year.  I made her promise to give them to me
this
> year after she's done watching them bloom!
>
> So,  I guess I'll plant them all somewhere or another- I can always move
> them again in spring after they die back I suppose.
>
> Thanks,
> Theresa
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net]On
> Behalf Of Marge Talt
> Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 10:41 PM
> To: gardenchat@hort.net
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] chilling bulbs
>
>
> I may be wrong here, as I've never tried to store bulbs in a home
> fridge, but think I recall reading somewhere that this is not really
> a good thing to do.  You'd be better off potting them up and putting
> them in a place just about freezing or above for winter...or plunging
> the pots outside (best thing to do).  Then, in spring, you can just
> plant the pots out as a group of bulbs into their permanent home.
> Most spring flowering bulbs are building roots all winter and start
> growing long before they surface, so need the time to do this, which
> is why they are planted in the fall.
>
> I dug up a bunch of crocus in one of my wooden half barrels in early
> Nov. and found they had new root growth about 2" long....just stuck
> them back in the soil...but that goes to show what they're busy doing
> underground when we think it's too cold to do anything.
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
> -----------------------------------------------
> Current Article: Wild, Wonderful Aroids Part 3 - Amorphophallus
> http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
> ------------------------------------------------
> Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
> http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
> ------------------------------------------------
> All Suite101.com garden topics :
> http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
>
> ----------
> > From: Theresa- yahoo <tchessie@yahoo.com>
> >
> > How long can you leave bulbs in the refrigerator?  I have lost my
> mind
> > picking out bulbs from Brent and Becky's and know I'll never get
> them all
> > planted with winter- so can I leave them in the fridge until next
> spring and
> > plan them then?
> >
> > Theresa
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index