Seems like a sound idea. Hope it works w/o a flaw.

I hope so too, J. More than you know.
Last year it was so cold for so long, nothing I did was right because I didn't expect all that cold. So I'm determined this is going to work. Is it right that I should sprinkle the bag with a little water occasionally?
Actually -- short of digging myself a root cellar, I really didn't know what else I should do.

Sharon, my mother grew dahlias and glads and many other bulbs here in Minnesota when I was growing up. I mean hundreds, if not thousands. All had to be dug up every fall. Half of our basement was full of them every winter. Guess what she used to store the bulbs? Yep...burlap bags. In those days you could use the bags that potatoes and such had been packaged in. I know this because I had to wash them out every spring
I think that might be why I haven't done much with bulbs in my yard...so far only those that I don't have to dig.
Great creative thinking and nice article
Twisted old adage - invention is the necessity of a mother (in this case a garden mother)!

Jeanie, it was the same for me. I had forgotten about the glads. And we had the same thing in our basement after the root cellar had been enlarged and its walls covered in cement blocks, the floor cemented as well. My problem here is that I don't have a basement here. Your yard is so beautiful, you don't need to even think about having bulbs.
Great twist to the adage!

Our basement was really just a lower level with a walkout, but she filled up all the closets with bulbs. In Minnesota a garage is not an option unless it's heated. It's always something!

True, it's always something!

Sharon, the Gloriosas may not even need sprinkles. Mine are left in pots never watered over winter. It might be a good idea to check once or twice over the winter.

The first year I had them, I left them in pots and forgot about them. They were fine the next year. But this time I checked before I started digging and I swear there were so many new tubers I didn't have enough room really to put them in pots, because some were also in community pots with perennials that do survive the winter. That's probably confusing but in the end, I just dug them all out since the pots were also too big for me to bring up steps and into the house. It was only after the fact that I had the sudden thought . . . something like, now what. Thus the burlap.

I'll check them about the water too, I didn't water them at all that first year.
Thanks J.

Your welcome

I'm afraid I don't have much to offer in the way of how to store bulbs, but the burlap sure sounds like it should work to keep everything clean and still allow circulation. I hope the bulbs do well for you, Sharon.

Thanks Vickie, it's all I could think of doing.

Cute bags Sharon - I bet they will work well - please let us know.

I have no idea why, but we have a whole stack of burlap bags. Why???? Who knows....

You were saving them for those who save bulbs, you think anybody in NC saves bulbs, Vic??

Not me and we brought them from Ohio but I didn't save bulbs when I was up there either.

Your EE's are beautiful and your Gloriosas are stunning.

Thanks to Xeranthum for the bulbs and to Jmorth for the tubers!! Otherwise I wouldn't be digging for burlap either. But now that I have it . . . .