skip to main content

garden Virginia Garden Exchange Virginia Gardening

Do i freeze tulip bulbs now before planting?

1818 Federal (7bEC)

5 years ago

hello fellow gardeners, I purchased bags of tulip bulbs (no stem) in early winter and have not put them in the ground So now: do I put them in the freezer before putting them in the ground? or just plant now?

Zone 7b. night temps are 20° to 35°. day temps: 40-60°.

Featured Answer

harryvetch

5 years ago

The freezer was if you wanted to force them inside....

Faith us correct, get the in the ground ASAP ok that they can put up some growth and have as normal growth season as posdible, albeit very abbreviated. Your flower production next spring might suffer from lack of growth this tear.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

functionthenlook
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Since they have never been planted before you should be able to just plant them. You never put them in the freezer. Tulips bulbs need at least 6 weeks in the fridge or outside cold before re-blooming. I don't know if they will bloom though since tulips are usually planted in the fall in my area so they can establish there roots in the winter . Plant them and see what happens.
Faith
5 years ago
I would also suggest getting them into the ground as quickly as possible. You’re still getting cold enough night temps. It’s possible that they won’t bloom this year (leaves only) if you have an early spring, but putting them in the freezer will not help and wpull likely do harm.
Related Discussions
planting tulips now
Q
Comments (3)
The zone is how the Arbor Day chart shows it...supposedly I'm in a micro-area that has characteristics of both. Ok, that being said...S Texas, about 100 miles north of the Gulf. And I just was given a small bag of tulip bulbs with their tips already poking through. I looked around on the web and found that they are to be planted in fall, but I couldn't just throw them away, so I planted them in full sun about 6" down, as per the instructions on how deep. I know to dig them up and refrigerate in fall, but should I bother? I've never grown tulips. I'm wondering if they are too deep since they've already started shooting out. I used to garden up north (vegitables) but here everything I've tried dies. I'm hoping not to kill off yet another 10 plants. That is of course, if the squirrels don't get to them first. Help?
...See More
Forgot to plant Spring-flowering bulbs! Should I plant them now?
Q
Comments (8)
WOW! I am so glad that I am not the only one! LOL! I bought some tulip bulbs last fall, and I was going to plant them in containers. However, I never got round to doing that. I left the bulbs in the unheated (but insulated) garage, which was in the mid 30's to low 40's during winter. About a month ago, I planted the bulbs in some containers, and now they are sprouting very well in the garage! My questions are: 1. When will it be safe to take the containers outside? It can still go to low 30's here at night. 2. How likely are they going to bloom this year, given that the bulbs were chilled in the garage? I am quite surprised by how well they are sprouting! Thanks!
...See More
NOW What do I do with them? (Tulip bulbs after-death)
Q
Comments (4)
You didn't ask this :) but I just want to pass on this tidbit for people with pets. Tulips are poisonous. Just *how* poisonous I don't know, but I learned this when the owner of where I lived pulled up all his tulip bulbs, threw them over the fence to an area my horses could get to. I did a quick look on the Web and then went out to grab them up and put them in the garbage. I also had, at the time, one dog that would pretty much eat any thing---- and that worried me also. So, just in case.......
...See More
Tulips - What do I do now?
Q
Comments (1)
you can do either of those things but the common wisdom is to leave the leaves to wither and then remove them. They usually pull right out of the bulb when they are ready to be removed. I put my foot next to the bulb while I'm pulling in case it resists and comes flying out of the ground. Most tulips do not come back well in this climate no matter what you do. but some of the smaller species type gregii seem to do better. I treat the rest as annuals and plant new ones every year. This year I think I will buy them early and prechill them in the fridge. With our mild winter, I did not have good luck with them blooming properly. Theresa.
...See More
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
5 years ago
thanks @Faith! 2 people suggested freezer to "simulate winter". i found little definitive on google, so i came to Houzz.
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
5 years ago
thanks @harryvtech - 4 bags went into the ground this week. despite the 20-40° temperatures and hard soil, daffodils are budding already. iris and daylily not yet.

i mixed in new garden soil with the existing rich soil underneath the hard top layer. #brrr my hands were freezing! thanks y'all
1818 Federal (7bEC)
Original Author
4 years ago
tulip bulbs never broke ground. It's now July. Does that mean they're not going to grow at all?
callirhoe123
4 years ago
Assuming that they were alive when planted, they are probably just making roots now and will bloom in the spring.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Plant Bulbs in Fall for Spring and Summer Blooms

By Marianne Lipanovich

Follow these step-by-step instructions for planting daffodils, irises, tulips and more

BULBS Plant Tulips for March-to-May Blooms

By Marianne Lipanovich

Learn the basics of growing these favorite spring bulbs

GARDENING GUIDES Gardening With Kids: How to Plant Bulbs

By Alison Hodgson

You don't need expertise to get flowering bulbs in the ground in fall — but kids will feel like gardening pros come spring

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Unsung Bulbs for Fall Planting

By LuAnn Brandsen

Don't hang up your spade after summer — plant these unusual bulbs in fall for a spectacular spring show

EDIBLE GARDENS 10 Edible Greens to Plant Now

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Get your cool-season garden started and look forward to harvesting lettuces, kale, arugula, chard and more

PLANTING IDEAS 5 Summer-Blooming Bulbs to Plant This Spring

By Marianne Lipanovich

These fast-growing bulbs will brighten your garden this summer

FALL GARDENING What to Plant Now to Benefit Wildlife in Spring

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

These North American native plants will support birds, butterflies and other pollinators when spring comes

FALL GARDENING Fall Planting: No Bulb Garden Is Complete Without a Hyacinth

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant hyacinths in fall for fragrant blooms in spring, just when you need them

BULBS Great Design Plant: Wild Hyacinth for a Bolt of Blue

By Paintbox Garden

Get knockout spring blooms on spiky stems by planting these bulbs before the ground freezes

FUN HOUZZ Everything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey

Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5

Sponsored