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ryseryse_2004

questions from a 'worry-wart'

ryseryse_2004
10 years ago

I have learned from another post that I must allow my bulbs to rest for 4-6 weeks before re-potting. Well, the ones I dug a couple of weeks ago are in the basement in paper bags with no soil and I am hoping they will go dormant. A few outside leaves of some have turned yellow but there is new growth in the middle of many! STOP IT --- GO TO SLEEP RIGHT NOW!!!! I feel I am talking to children.

The basement is unheated but certainly not as cold as outdoors. But it is freezing outside at night now so I can't have them out there. (The babies are planted in pots and I will just give them a little drink once in awhile as instructed by you wonderful experts.)

Since shouting doesn't work, how do I get them to go dormant? I guess I won't have blooms at Christmas eh?

Comments (4)

  • dondeldux z6b South Shore Massachusetts
    10 years ago

    You know, it's strange how some of these bulbs do have a mind of their own! I was inspecting my bulbs down in our furnace room; the ones that still have some leaves that were brought in from the out of doors a few weeks ago and my Pink Diamond has two leaves with an offset with one leaf and each is sending up a bud!! So I look some more and find a bud on a Gervase offset (2 golfball sized offsets and the mother bulb in one pot) all still with a leaf of two. Some of these bulbs just want to continue to grow so I let them. The ones that totally loose all their leaves go out in the garage where it is considerably cooler for the next few months,

    The moral of the story is if you have to have blooms for the holidays, I suggest that you buy a few new bulbs that have been primed by the growers to bloom for the holiday season. As for your other bulbs I'd just let them do what they want. If they are still growing leaves I'd pot them back up and let them grow on and they will most likely give you joyous blooms in Feb and March..I found that last season most all of my older bulbs bloomed eventually without a dormancy and without being pulled from their pots. Just my opinion of course as we all have different methods of dealing with our bulbs for the fall and winter. (give a couple of lucky new bulbs a home ;-))

    Good Luck,

    Donna

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    How long do they have to be dormant before potting them up again? It doesn't matter to me if I have blooms at Christmas --- actually some indoor color in the dreary month of February would be great!

    Also, I have them all just in paper bags with no soil - is that too dry?

  • HU-17497
    10 years ago

    As I understand it forcing your bulbs to flower is it too make them bloom when you want them to. if you don't care about having blooms around christmas time, then might I suggest next time just leaving them in the pot and enjoying the plant. I don't force any of my bulbs to flower but then again there all in the ground.

    On another note, I believe we all know about or have seen/used the software where I talk and it types. Well right under this is the UNCORRECTED version of the top paragraph.

    susan forcing your folders into is it too make them alone when you want them to if you don't care about having balloons around christmas time do my text jess next time just leaving them in the pot and enjoying the plant I don't force any of my balls but then again they can't be found

  • salpal
    10 years ago

    Too funny! Especially the balloons and how they "can't be found"!

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