The main thing for the lilies is that the potting mix never becomes bone dry over the winter. The bulbs will probably survive but will be too shrunken to perform well for the following summer if the mix gets to be dust-dry. You didn't say which type of lily: while underground many asiatic, oriental and regal lilies will tolerate a few degrees of frost, even if the mix in the bucket should chance to freeze. So long as it thaws the day after the frosty night. Lilies rest. They don't do 'dormant' like some bulbs, so they need to keep taking in air and water, which freezing prevents. Dahlias are much the same, particularly if you cover them with a light mulch that lets the air through (shredder paper, perhaps, so long as the mousies aren't nest building.) Provided the tubers are covered then hungry bugs, slugs and furry things 'should' leave them alone. For me phlox and hollyhocks aren't completely dormant so I would say - make sure they get the best light you can manage otherwise they'll get to be long and a miserable greeny-yellow (etiolated) and too weak to beat off the bugs when spring comes around. Gladdies - the species ones are already heading into leaf quite early in the spring in this zone. Depending in your growing zone you could be replanting anywhere from January to June. Keep the old mix barely moist - which shouldn't be too hard with the sandy mix they like.

Columbines are notorius for inter-breeding, I remember reading that they were considered sluts by the victorians because they didn't sem to care who they "mated" with. I may have the details wrong, maybe it was the puritans, but you get the idea. Columbine seedlings need to be allowed to flower before you really know for sure what you've got, unless they're bred in a closed greenhouse. Not that you can't find a true cultivar at a big box, it's just a little more risky with columbines than with other plants. One other word of caution about bargain plants - don't buy a wisteria or a mockorange that way, you're likely to get one of the non-flowering types. The disappointment comes about 5 or 6 years later, when you realize that the enormous, vigorous plant that was such a bargain isn't likely to ever look like the gawgeous picture you remember from the package.

The small offspring can be planted now in containers and will come up as small editions of the parent.if you wish you can label them with the colour. next year you should get flowers.My gladdies are well advanced as I try to beat the real heat.asfor soaking i only clean the corme when dry and put in a dry spot. good luck!! chas

Thats wonderful Jan, a few beautiful spikes there. Very pretty colours, and dont they look terrific in a vase, also last a while too. Great Pic....Cheers...MM.