| I RECEIVED A BAG FULL OF TULIP BULBS AND DAY LILLIES FOR CHRISTMAS FROM MY CHILDREN. SINCE I LIVE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN NEW YORK STATE, THERE IS ABOUT TWO FEET OF SNOW ON THE GROUND.....MY QUESTION IS WHAT CAN I DO WITH THESE BULBS, CAN I KEEP THEM IN THE BAG UNTIL SPRING AND PLANT THEM THEN OR WHAT?????????????????AND IF I HOLD ON TO THEM UNTIL SPRING WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO STORE THEM AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS? tHANKS SO MUCH |
| If the tulip bulbs are still in good condition, meaning not rotting, soft, mushy, moldy or shriveled, you could plant them now. Tulips need about four months of chilling before they will bloom, so you could plant them in containers, water lightly, and set them in a cool (not freezing) spot until spring. In spring, you can enjoy them in the pots or plant them in the garden. The daylilies (Hemerocallis) are a bit more difficult to judge. These are sometimes dug and stored commercially, but to do so at home is problematic. You would need to keep them cool so they are dormant, and damp enough that they do not dry up, but not so damp they become bothered by a fungus or bacteria. You could try storing the daylily roots in a cool area, sprinkle them with water if they seem to be drying out. Then plant them inearly spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Alternatively, plant them in pots and set them in a protected location where they will be very cool but not frozen until you can plant them in the ground. Finally, if you know someone with a greenhouse, that might also work for the daylilies. Good luck with your plants! |
