Too late for tulips?
 

SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us

Too late for tulips?
 

Replying to your post - per instructor in my on-line internet
class....



On Feb 18, 7:13 pm, IGot2P wrote:
SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us

Too late for tulips?
 

Too late for tulips?
 

Top posting saves time. Like texting. Get used to it.

Steve

"IGot2P" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Replying to your post - per instructor in my on-line internet
class....



On Feb 18, 7:13 pm, IGot2P wrote:

SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us

....and he/she taught you to top post?

Too late for tulips?
 

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:13:43 -0600, IGot2P wrote:

SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us

Go ahead and plant them. You probably won't get blooms, but they will
be able to make food for next spring's bloom.

Too late for tulips?
 

bulbs bought at hardware stores have a really bad track record for even coming up
much less blooming. I would take a selection and try planting them now and see if
they come up and bloom indoors. if your test does, then go ahead and plant the
others. Ingrid

SteveB[_5_];775339']Top posting saves time. Like texting. Get used to it.

Steve

"IGot2P" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Replying to your post - per instructor in my on-line internet
class....



On Feb 18, 7:13 pm, IGot2P wrote:

SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us

....and he/she taught you to top post?




im sorry that ppl have to fight about what is the right way to post rather than answer a valid gardening question for you :(.
this isnt much information but i think that it might help u some.
if it were me though i would plant the bulbs if u can but if the ground is frozen then i would spread the bulbs out on top of the ground, in a well sheltered location preferably, then i would cover them over with about three inches of mulch ;). take care, sockiescat :).
http://www.tulipworld.com/info.asp?c...care/FAQ.shtml

Too late for tulips?
 

IGot2P wrote:
SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us


I would say plant them ASAP and add a couple of inches of mulch but
don't expect any decent blooms -- or any blooms at all -- from the
survivors during the first season. Definitely don't put them in the
deepfreeze. The worst that will happen is that the bulbs won't develop
at all and in that case you will have added some expensive organic
material to your bed and will have learned a lesson.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

Too late for tulips?
 

Phisherman wrote:
On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:13:43 -0600, IGot2P wrote:


SE Iowa, zone 5

Last fall we purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs simply because
they were on sale at Menards or somewhere similar. As happens many years
we never got around to getting them planted last fall. They are all
still in bags in our shop (about 50 degrees F) and some are starting to
sprout.

Can we save them by doing any of the following?

1.) Simply plant them as is in VERY early spring.
2.) Stick them in our deep freeze until spring and then plant.
3.) Bury them outside under some mulch and then plant in spring.

Anyway suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,

us


Go ahead and plant them. You probably won't get blooms, but they will
be able to make food for next spring's bloom.

I agree. Plant them as soon as you can or bury them under some mulch
now if the ground is frozen. And just so that you know, you NEVER want
to freeze bulbs. Tulips need to be cooled for about 12 weeks but they
should never be stored below 35 degrees. Storing them at 50 degrees may
be good enough to get them to bloom this season.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening for over 40 years

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

Too late for tulips?
 

wrote:

bulbs bought at hardware stores have a really bad track record for even coming up
much less blooming.

Ingrid

I don't find that to be true. I am one of those people that pick up a
lot of "close out" bulbs every year (no matter who is selling them).
I've never had a problem with them not blooming. Usually, around
Thanksgiving, stores here have them for 75 percent off, and, around
here, that is a good time to plant them.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening for over 40 years

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail