No, people I deal with sell the bulbs in Fall or Spring. And they will probably not last if not planted in something over the fall/winter.

pamghatten yep.. most others here do as well.. so you think i should plant them in ground when they arrive this fall? next year dig up-sell as bulbs, rather than potted? my business is basically spring, thought it might be something different to try. thanx for input.

I used to buy them in early winter and force them potted for spring along with my run of Easter lilies in my greenhouses. Lily forcing is an old and almost lost art anymore and is not for the uninitiated or faint of heart. LOL.

calliope hmmm. i'm not crazy about the idea of forcing them out of season, although it is interesting. i'm going to try the instructions i found. basically emphasis on well drained soil, water til moist, store pots cool and dark (for rooting) till growth breaks soil, then move outdoors. i'll probably try a few of each variety (i'm sure some do better than others)and i will let you know how it goes...lol...another experiment.

Well, I see you are in zone five and I'll throw a couple things at you. If you received the stock this fall, and want to grow them on in pots as nursery stock to sell for planting next spring or summer there is a protocol to follow.

Yes, they should root in well before winter hits but in your zone you can't just set them outside in pots. They'll need root protection normally provided by most growers in perennial houses, where they're watered when needed and given root protection and kept with their dormancy unbroken. If you just stack the pots outside somewhere they may not survive. That being said, if you have an area with loose soil, like a veggie garden or a sand pit, you can sink those pots down just past the rims and cover with soil, like you are planting them inground with no pots then cover them over with straw or mulch and let nature take its course. When you see emergence next spring, dig them out and procede like you would with any other nursery stock. If you don't have a dedicated shade or perennial overwintering house and plan to grow stuff like this, you might want to look into building a structure.

calliope, i will try some buried pots in loose sandy spot.... good idea. the insructions i found put much emphasis on sandy soil mix for drainage, to avoid rotting. i have an old coal room in my basement(great for starting many seeds,45 deg)i will also try some in there, kept dark. you are right about needing a structure though, it is time. i've avoided it so far by putting things back in the ground-then in spring i'm at the mercy of mother nature getting everything potted. and you can imagine how reliable she is in illinois. thanks for your help calliope.