Post a reply

Avatar for EastTexasAnnie
Dec 27, 2014 12:10 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Annie
East Texas (Zone 8a)
Life is good
Received a lot of woodland hyacinth (spanish bluebells) and tulip bulbs as a Christmas present. Dilemma---chill until February and then plant but seriously miss the recommended planting window or plant now and hope for best. Any advice out there?
I do not want to force bulbs indoors--Too many.
East Texas zone 8a
Image
Dec 27, 2014 12:19 PM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)
Region: Texas Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Tomato Heads Vermiculture Garden Research Contributor
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Region: Ukraine Garden Sages
The hyacinths can be planted now without problems. The tulips, though, you will have trouble with. We don't get cold enough winters for them to adequately be chilled, so they should be chilled indoors or else simply not grown.
Last edited by dave Dec 27, 2014 8:04 PM Icon for preview
Image
Dec 27, 2014 1:25 PM CST
Name: Lyn
Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Level 1
Just a thought...

If you have deer issues, altho' Spanish bluebells are said to be deer resistant, the deer haven't read that part about the plant. They gobble them up as quickly as any other deer candy.

I planted tulips given to me for Christmas last year in January and they came up fine, but it was a cold and very dry winter.

Smiles,
Lyn
I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer.
Image
Dec 27, 2014 2:45 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Yes, with the tulips, suggest you pot them up in clumps of 5 or 6 to a pot and tuck them away in the back of your fridge if you have room. You know, back there where the leftovers sit until they get moldy . . ?? Rolling my eyes.

For those you don't have room for, choose the north side of the house, where they will be in the shade of the building the longest, so stay cool as long as possible into spring. When you water them, water sparingly with a watering can and add some ice cubes to the water to cool the soil around the bulbs a little extra.

You'll at least get bloom this spring, and maybe for a few more seasons until they figure out where they're at.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
Dec 28, 2014 12:51 PM CST
Name: Rick R.
Minneapolis,MN, USA z4b,Dfb/a
Garden Photography The WITWIT Badge Seed Starter Wild Plant Hunter Region: Minnesota Hybridizer
Garden Sages I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Definitely don't wait with the Spanish bluebells. A lot of these minor bulbs need good root establishment before they send up growth in the spring. Planting is spring will force the bulb to grow its first roots simultaneously with upward growth, or worse, roots won't grow at all while upward shoots will. Both scenarios will cause weak growth, may abort flower or even death.
When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers. - Socrates
Only the members of the Members group may reply to this thread.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )