Dear Olympia,

I wanted to respond to a question you posted in the October bloom thread just below, but not confuse the thread too much. What do you do when you have Tuberose bulbs in the fall? Well, if you live where they are hardy (and will bloom) outside, go ahead and plant them now outside in well prepared soil just like you would with hyacinths or daffodils. Only tuberoses don't like to be planted so deep. Follow the package directions.

They prefer sandy, but rich soil, and as much sun as you can give them.

Here is the deal. I have not had success bringing them into bloom this way. I live in zone 7, and the soil on the Jersey shore (and inland in the Pine Barrens) is pure white sand 100 feet deep. This aids in drainage which bulbs like, but also allows us to grow some southern plants like some oleanders and brugmansias which die back, but return from the roots in Spring. The only problem is that, like these plants, my outside tuberoses often do not bloom when they come back, or show bloom spikes in November, when it is too cool and the days are too short for them to mature before they are turned to mush by frosts which come late in the month, or early in the next. New Jersey is in the North, and our hot season sometimes just isn't long enough to counter act the beating the bulbs take in our cold, wet, snowy winters, or the slow start they get in our cool, wet, long springs. Maybe other New Jersey gardeners are having success with tuberoses outside, especially around Cape May and Cumberland county, but I push the limit with plants, and I have not seen any around here. To us, they really are Southern garden plants.

On the other hand, I do have success bringing the plants into bloom from freshly purchased spring planted bulbs. They usually bloom in September or early October for me in pots, given water, organic fertilizer and the best sun I have.Don't crowed them in the pot. Give them room to breath, and don't let them shade each other. Three in a large pot is plenty. For me, clay is best. You must understand though that planting a tuberose is not like planting an amaryllis. You need to care for the foliage for several months before you will see a flower. When you do, wow, is it worth it though!

Now, I have to mention, that when I bring the pots in in the winter, and keep them dry in the pots, I get no flowers the next year. Just green foliage. When I bring them in, allow them to go dormant, but water periodically to keep the soil from totally drying out, I still get no flowers. So basically, I have a big patch of glorified grass in my flower bed right now, and a bunch of pots filled with ever increasing clumps of glorified grass too. I do have tuberose blooming though now!

Would you like to know how I do it? Well option one is plant fresh bulbs from the supplier every spring in pots, or the ground. You will definitely get flowers at summer's end or in the fall if you do this. The other method involves staring at glorified grass - all year, and this is what I did. Plant the bulbs now. Water and feed them, and give them the best light outdoors. Allow them to enjoy some cool nights this fall. They like this. But take them inside before the frost nips their foliage. They are now your treasured, pampered, and petted houseplants, nondescript though they be. Give them the prime position in a south facing windowsill if you can, and take good care of them. They will be more willing to reward you with flowers the next summer, and they will be earlier than Spring planted bulbs too.

I have not planted bulbs fresh in the fall ever myself, but I strongly reccomend that you plant them now no matter what, water, and care for the foliage. No bulb appreciates sitting in a bag all winter.

Now whether you can spare the window sill space in winter,or you would prefer to replant each year, and have something that actually blooms and perfumes your home on your winter windowsill is up to you. Men love glorified grass. Tomatoes rank highly as winter houseplants in our book, but you may prefer something else. It is all up to you.

If you do live where tuberoses overwinter in the ground and bloom reliably though, by all means do plant them now. Your neighbors may be your best guide to how they will succeed in your climate - or you could pioneer tuberoses in your area yourself.