I have lots of bulbs

last year

And don't know what they are!!

We purchased our home in east central Illinois in January. It was a rental for many years and it was obvious that well-intentioned people lived here. They planted things then either moved out or ignored them.

I let things develop and sorta kept an eye on them. I have lots and lots of bulbs that were near the surface that sent up green leaves, but never bloomed. I dug them all out in late May and stored them on shredded paper in the basement.

They are cleaned up and ready to plant. I have to do that now, as I will have lower spine surgery on 10/5! 4" soil temp is about 68 with many cool nights coming up.

I have zero idea what most of these are as they did not bloom. My intention is to plant smaller bulbs in front of the larger bulbs and wait to see what happens. Again, I have an almost zero idea of what they are. There are more than 350 of them! Yep! A lot of digging.

I would appreciate any comments, tips, hints, or helping hands!!

Featured Answer

robert567

last year

Does sound a lot like Lycoris squamigera, which would bloom in August after the green strap leaves die off. The bulbs should have a top that does not come to a solid point but have somewhat a wide flat opening for a flat leaf to emerge.

Doesn't seem like Tulips at all, and Daffodils should have had some flowers at least.

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Comments (8)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
You need to show us a photo of the bulbs for starters. Without seeing the bulbs and/or their foliage nobody can tell you what they are. Possibly they are something weedy, like Starif Bethlehem, and not worth replanting. If they are good spring flowering bulbs they need to be replanted now. Cool nights will not bother them, in fact many need the cold to bloom .

Most bulbs do not need to be lifted and replanted, unless overcrowded, so I’m afraid you’ve made unnecessary work for yourself. By digging in May you might even have done it before they had a chance to bloom. Had the foliage completely died down when you dug?
jim_1 (Zone 5B) thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
jim_1 (Zone 5B)
Original Author
last year
In one spot, I used a shovel to dig out one mass of bulbs. Then I sat and divided them and knocked off the dirt. There were 44 bulbs in a round area of about 24". They were right at the surface and crowded next to each other.

After I related what I posted to my wife...her harrumph indicated I was wrong. It was July, she said when I did the deed! Sorry about the misinformation. Getting old sucks.
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diggerdee zone 6 CT
last year
Agree that photos would be very helpful. But my first thought when you said there was foliage but no blooms was tulips. They do that for me all the time so I treat them like annuals. But if they were right at the surface then that is probably something other than tulips. So yeah, photos would help lol.

:)

Dee
jim_1 (Zone 5B) thanked diggerdee zone 6 CT
katob Z6ish, NE Pa
last year
Hopefully it wasn't 'strappy ' foliage, that might be magic lilies, and they would have bloomed late summer and don't usually like being dug...
jim_1 (Zone 5B) thanked katob Z6ish, NE Pa
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Without pictures we can't help any further. What you do with them depends entirely on what sort of bulbs they are.
jim_1 (Zone 5B) thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
last year
last modified: last year
Yes, what Robert said. They’re commonly called surprise lillies here in Missouri - they grow strappy tall green leaves in the spring and in August send up flower stalks and pretty pink blooms.

Why did you dig them? Have they been stored in a cool place? I suppose they haven’t had a drink? Hopefully they’re not all dried up.
jim_1 (Zone 5B) thanked littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Would you get 44 Lycoris bulbs in a 2 foot patch? I don’t think so. Sounds more like something smaller. But sadly OP hasn’t given us much info to go on. No picture and no description of either bulb or leaves.
jim_1 (Zone 5B) thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK