My bulbs are coming up---already!?!?

18 years ago

I am originally from Ohio, and am a VERY new gardener--never grew a thing before we bought our first home two years ago!I was very shocked to see my daffs and begonias (I think) coming up already. I had a thick layer of leaves over the beds and some got blown off and i saw the little green spikes sticking up. Pulled back the leaves in a few other places and sure enough they are all coming up. So, if we get hit with a cold freeze, what happens? Will they die back and that's it for this year?

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Comments (6)

aisgecko
18 years ago
I was just outside and saw several daffodils coming up too. This happens every year and usually they are fine. They probably won't die back. The begonias I am not sure about. I am concerned about the leaf buds on my hydrangeas. If they get killed back too much they won't flower this year. I also noticed new growth on the roses, a few of which are still putting out flower buds that then freeze off. These warm spells are quite common here and it's disturbing to see things emerging in these fake springs, but most of the plants that are commonly grown in this area can handle it. Sometimes flower buds come out too soon and freeze off. Some plants can put out new flower buds and some can't. But it is nice to be able to walk around the yard in the middle of january enjoying the sunshine. -Ais.
rootdiggernc
18 years ago
Way too early for the hardy begonias to be coming back up. They like the ground to be pretty warm. Mine don't come back up until very late spring.
Daffs and other spring flowering stuff should be fine. Just cover them back up. My species tulips are coming up and I covered them back over with a 'little' mulch.
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purplefirefly
Original Author
18 years ago
I am not sure it is begonias, but I can't think of what else it could be! I have had a lot of problems in this front yard because it is shaded by 4 very large trees...to make a long story short, lots of things have been planted there that never came up but might be magically coming up this year. There are so many of them in that bed and all too close together to really be the begonias, so I guess I will have a surprise!

Everything is covered with a very thick mass of leaves from the trees, much of which has broken down into some nice stuff to be blended in come spring. I hope they will be okay coming up under there.

I looked out back at my mini rose bushes and they seem to be waking up a bit...more green to them and some leaves that weren't there before.
Claire Pickett
18 years ago
My Trudy the basset has dug up newly planted pink daffs twice now....grrrrr. Much of the soil went flying and I'm afraid I didn't replace it to the appropriate level. Last week I saw one bulb sprouting. It's possible, purplefirefly, that you may not have planted them deep enough, as I know this was the case with my one sprouter. none of my established daffs are peaking through, nor are my new-last-season hardy begonias (Where is marsha, our generous and experienced hardy begonia grower?).

Somehow, I think you will be ok though...very tough babies, those daffs, worth every penny.

peace, claire in sanford
Sally22
18 years ago
I have daffodils blooming in my front yard in Charlotte! These are Rijnveld's Early Sensation, my favorite daffodil in the whole world--I've had them in bloom on New Year's Day! They start the spring and if we continue to have reasonably cool days, they will be in bloom for a month, by which time we should have February Gold and Tete a Tete blooming! Everyone should tuck in a few of these bulbs to start spring early! I feel like Johnny Early Sensation, but I want them blooming all over Charlotte right now! How did you stand those long Ohio winters? I push our winter from both ends! And don't worry--even in full bloom they will stand our cold nights, and even the rare snow!
hbwright
18 years ago
I have tulips coming up, cannas, salvias blooming, lots of gardenia buds, and roses still infested with aphids. No die off from dianthus or guara either.