Kathy, I am by no means an expert, but did you have these outside in pots already? Were they already in hot sun? And you may want to cover them when it's full sun with an old bed sheet instead of tarp. Make a lean to sort of like this.
Nothing major, a sheet stapled or nailed into the side of the house, with two or three sticks stapled or tied to the corners and middle if needed. When it starts getting hot and burning sun, around noon, just bang the sticks into the ground. But not too deep, so that you can pull them up and lean them against the house when it's not so hot and sunny, (mornings and evenings). In other words, like a retractable awning. When they used to the outside and start perking up, then just take the sheet down.
Misti, the ones that you have inside need to be acclimated to the outdoors since it is already so hot outside. Are they in air condition now? Take the ones that you are planning on putting out (or just try it on one of them) and put them outside in the morning, but be sure and put them under a covered porch or carport. Slowly scoot them into the sun gradually until they get used to it. All of mine are in a place that gets full sun until about 1 PM and then shade for the rest of the day.
When I buy new bulbs in the fall this is how I do it.
Plant them inside in pots. (They usually arrive in October)
Let them grow and bloom inside during the winter
After all blooming is over and no chance of frost , I bring them outside and plant them. But, it is still cool, (50's & 60's) not the hot summer time (now we are in the 90's and 100's)
But JT can tell you better than me if that makes a difference.
