Updated at: 10-05-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

Are you unsure about the best way to keep tulip bulbs until planting time? Every spring garden is enhanced by the presence of these vibrantly colored plants. Tulips are the subject of this article, which will teach you everything you need to know.

A Closer Look At Tulips

More than 150 species and 3,000 variants of tulips exist. Tulips in the wild number approximately 75 different species. Colorful and symmetrical, tulips are among the most popular flowers in the world. They can be white, pink, red, orange, yellow, or purple, to name just a few.

How to Store Unplanted Tulip Bulbs - Krostrade

There are 3 sepals and 3 petals in each of their lovely flowers, which appear to be practically identical in size and shape. Depending on the cultivar, this cup-shaped plant can grow up to 18 inches in height.

Tulips come in a wide variety of colors, each with its own unique symbolism. When it comes to flowers, white tulips are a symbol of forgiveness while pink and purple tulips represent happiness and confidence, respectively. Red tulips, on the other hand, are a symbol of affection. Finally, yellow tulips are a symbol of happiness.

The tulip is one of several things for which the Netherlands is well-known in the world. Tulip is in fact the national flower of the nation. Tulips, on the other hand, are not native to the Netherlands; rather, they are from Central Asia and Turkey, where they first appeared.

As soon as it arrived in the Netherlands from Turkey in the 16th century, it quickly became well-known all across the world. Nearly 3 billion bulbs are produced in the Netherlands each year, making it the world’s leading bulb producer and exporter.

Tulips were once regarded as one of the most prized possessions, even more so than houses, in medieval times. Flowers like this were once so valuable in the 1600s that a working Dutchman’s average wage was nearly double what they paid in order to buy one.

To greet the arrival of spring, tulip festivals are organized all over the world. In truth, this festival has a long and rich history. When it all began, the Canadian Festival Tulip was the most famous.

After World War II, Princess Diana of the Netherlands gave 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada as a thank you for sheltering her and her family during the war and liberating the Netherlands with the help of Canadian forces. She sends flowers to the country every year as an annual present.

Furthermore, there is the Tulip Festival Amsterdam, the Indira Gandhi Tulip Festival, the International Istanbul Tulip Festival, and so on and so forth and so forth.

Tulips are typically planted in the fall, although they can be planted at any time of the year as long as the soil is moist. During the spring, tulips are most commonly seen. It only blooms for a brief period of time, anything from three to seven days. To thrive, tulips necessitate the presence of chilly temperatures. To get the nutrients they need from the earth, they require at least 14 weeks of cold.

How to Store Unplanted Spring Bulbs

It is a spring bulb if it is able to blossom in the spring. Some examples of springtime blooms include crocuses, snowdrops, and tulips. Bulb planting can take place at any time of year, but it’s best to do it in the fall so they can bloom the following spring. Spring bulbs, on the other hand, should be planted as soon as possible. It is necessary to preserve unplanted spring bulbs until the ground can be thawed if you cannot plant them straight away or if you got them after the ground has been frozen.

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The unplanted bulbs should be placed in a wet peat moss-filled container. Paper bags or mesh bags can also be substituted. In order to keep the unplanted bulbs from drying out while in storage, add a few handfuls of slightly moist peat moss. The container should not be sealed or closed, as this will inhibit the movement of air.

  • It is a spring bulb if it is able to blossom in the spring.
  • It is necessary to preserve unplanted spring bulbs until the ground can be thawed if you cannot plant them straight away or if you got them after the ground has been frozen.

Put the bulbs in a cool, dry, and dark place away from drafts. The attic, crawl space, or garage may be the ideal place to keep your belongings.

Every few weeks, check on the bulbs. Maintaining the health of your bulbs necessitates this step. If the peat moss appears to be drying out, a light mist will do the trick. In order to prevent this from happening again, you’ll need to dispose of any rotten bulbs and keep an eye on your bulbs more frequently. Keep an eye on your bulbs until you’re ready to plant them in the fall.

  • Put the bulbs in a cool, dry, and dark place away from drafts.
  • If the peat moss appears to be drying out, a light mist will do the trick.

Longevity Of Flowering Bulbs: Are My Bulbs Still Good?

In terms of horticulture, bulbs are an entirely separate entity. The bulb contains a nutrient reservoir that is ready to provide the plant when the conditions are just right. When planted at the appropriate time of year, bulbs take care of the rest, emerging in a showy display of color when the weather is right. To ensure the long-term viability of flowering bulbs, correct handling and storage are essential. When it comes to flower bulbs, how can you tell if they’re still good? The shelf life of flower bulbs can be found in the following sections.

Flower Bulb Storage

Before the weather becomes too cold, you should remove any bulbs that aren’t winter-hardy in your location and store them for the following spring. Generally speaking, spring-flowering bulbs are referred to as hardy, whereas summer-flowering bulbs are referred to as delicate. The health of the flower bulb depends on its proper preservation.

It’s crucial to keep in mind a few things while you’re caring for flower bulbs. Overwintering a few bulbs is preferable to leaving them in the ground all year round. Calla lilies, freesias, cannas, and elephant ears are a few of the many options. In the fall, after you’ve dug up the bulbs, take sure to clean them well of any dirt or debris.

As a result, rotting will be less likely. Always dry your bulbs in the sun for a week before storing them. Dry peat moss, packing peanuts, or sawdust can be used to keep the bulbs from rotting. As if they were rooted in the ground, place them in the material with the roots down and a gap between them. Cover them up and store the box someplace cool and dark. Bulbs need to be stored at a variety of temperatures.

Make sure you are aware of the temperature before placing your box. A garage, basement, storage shed, or attic are all viable options. To get the greatest results, avoid having the bulbs freeze and keep them away from direct heat sources. Bulb storage areas should not be near fruit storage areas because the ethylene gas released by ripening fruit can kill bulbs.

How Long Can You Keep Flower Bulbs?

Unless damaged, most bulbs can be stored for up to a year before planting. Flowering bulbs’ lifetime is greatly influenced by the quality of their storage.

Purple Spring Bulbs

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) grow from bulbs in early to mid-spring, reaching a height of about 8 inches. They are perennials. Well-drained, loamy soil in a location that gets at least three hours of sunlight per day is ideal for growing hyacinths. In the onion family, alliums are attractive bulbs that bloom at different times of the year, depending on the type. They are known as “drumstick alliums” because of their globular, round-shaped flowers that appear on a long, straight stem. Flower kinds and colors abound with tulips (Tulipa). The majority of the purple varieties, including “Passionate” and “Royal Purple,” feature speckled or fringed petals, or both. About 40 of the bulb species in the Muscari genus are native to the Mediterranean region. In the early spring, several cultivated cultivars develop blossoms with deep purple hues.

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Are My Bulbs Still Good?

It’s common for flower firms to label their bulbs with a best-before date. It is possible to preserve flowers bulbs for more than one season, but the quality of the flower diminishes each year that they are not planted. If you can’t get the bulbs outside, consider putting them in a pot indoors. Just be sure to give the fall bulbs enough time to cool off before planting. “What if my bulbs were in storage for an excessive amount of time? Are my bulbs still in working order? When a bulb is healthy, it is solid and not shrivelled or dried out. When you squeeze it, if it crackles, it’s definitely out of date. The same goes for soft or mushy items; if this is the case, they need to go.

Hyacinthus orientalis

More on PLANTS

  • Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) grow from bulbs in early to mid-spring, reaching a height of about 8 inches. They are perennials.
  • In the onion family, alliums are attractive bulbs that bloom at different times of the year, depending on the type.

Tip

It’s better to plant spring bulbs as soon as possible after you buy them; this is why it’s best to buy them in the fall.