On 25 Oct 2006 01:45:12 -0700, wrote:
Here in Central New York (Zone 5), it is pretty much too late to plant
tulip and daffodil bulbs. I received them late and it's been raining
almost nonstop, with temperatures from the low 40s to mid50s. Is it
safe to plant these bulbs, or should they be preserved until spring?
If I have to preserve them over winter, how do I do that?

If you can get a shovel in the ground, it's fine to plant them now.
I doubt your soils are frozen yet.

Otherwise, you can pot the bulbs up and chill them for a couple of months,
then bring them to bloom indoors, a method called "forcing".
Search http://groups.google.com for "bulb forcing faq" in the rec.gardens
group.

Unplanted storage will probably just lead to tbe bulbs respiring themselves
to death.

Kay, who's planted bulbs as late as mid December in the upper midwest. With
snow on the ground -- but the soil was still warm enough to dig.