Locked
dyvonnetxgal
Full Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:23 pm
Location: Friendswood, Texas Zone 9a

Confused Bulbs.......????

I planted fall bulbs about two weeks ago. This is my first time planting bulbs, I do believe that they might be confused because of the weather changes in unpredictable Texas atmosphere. Well, I thought they are only supposed to concentrate on there root system for now. I think they might have the slightest inkling that it may be spring. :shock: They are poking through the soil already. :shock: Should they be doing this right now? I am clueless about when they should have started sprouting. Please tell me if I need to slow them down by taking them out of the soil and puting them somewhere cooler. Oh..... I am in Zone 9a and they are planted in containers (urns). Thanks, Dyvonne.
User avatar
Grey
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1596
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a

Mine are too!
Unfortunately, I know nothing about bulbs (well almost nothing) seeing as I came from Florida and am learning gardening all over again. I never had this happen there...
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Lots of confused plants right now; unseasonable warmth has all sorts of plants here at the nursery flowering out of sequence. Rhodies in November?

I would leave well enough alone (unless you have access to a walk-in cooler somewhere) and hopefully Mother Nature will sort it all out. Dumping bags of ice on them will slow them, but hopefully cooler temps will save the day.

Global warming; it's not just a theory anymore... :(

Scott
grandpasrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1651
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:21 pm
Location: Quesnel, BC, Canada - Zone 4a

We have had bulbs start to grow in the middle of January or February when we get a sudden thaw, and then of course, it all freezes again. The bulbs seem to survive this and come back again in the spring, so I am with Scott, just let them do their thing! :wink:
Val
User avatar
Grey
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1596
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a

I figured that had to be it. We've had highs in the 80s lately, when just a week ago we had lows in the 30s and a few freezes - for 10 days or so.

Me, I'm sick of t-shirts. Time for the sweaters already!
grandpasrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1651
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:21 pm
Location: Quesnel, BC, Canada - Zone 4a

I seem to remember you saying that about six weeks ago Grey!! :lol:
Val
User avatar
Grey
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1596
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a

Yep.... it's still hot here. I am ready for winter (cooler weather at least).

We'll have a couple of nights in the 30s at the end of this week. Such weird weather.
dyvonnetxgal
Full Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:23 pm
Location: Friendswood, Texas Zone 9a

Yeah, we are supposed to get a cold front this weekend. I do believe they said it should come in on Thursday. We will see if that will make up their mind.
User avatar
Grey
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1596
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a

It will freeze here tomorrow night, but then the next night in the high 30s. So I am not sure if that's enough for them to go back into "hibernation."
dyvonnetxgal
Full Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:23 pm
Location: Friendswood, Texas Zone 9a

Well, I figured out which one of the many varieties of bulbs I planted wanted a serious head start. :x My paper whites!! :x Oh, well I can't do to much about them, I was so concerned because at first I thought it was my daffodils (Ice King) that were poking through. The paperwhites opened this week and we have had our real first round of cold weather. If I can call it that since it is only 55* right now and a low of 45* later. Well, I guess all of the other bulbs are doing what they were supposed to do was concentrate on their root system because I checked to make sure that none of the other bulbs were coming up. Just those impatient Paperwhites. I hope next year they will be on schedule and if not....I get to have lovely flowers in the winter time in my garden. :lol:
User avatar
Grey
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1596
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a

That's funny - because the ONLY bulbs of mine that were impatient were the paperwhites as well! I've just wrapped the container in red fabric and made it a Christmas decoration.

Now if we ever want to force bulbs in the future - we all know which one is the easiest to fool!
grandpasrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1651
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:21 pm
Location: Quesnel, BC, Canada - Zone 4a

Paperwhites are one of the earliest to bloom in the spring, and since they had been dormant before you planted them, when they started getting all those nutrients and water from your garden, they though it was spring!

They are also very hardy, which is why they were probably the only ones to come up, as the rest thought it was toooo chilly out there! Just leave them to do their own thing, clip the flower when it dies, leave the leaves to die on their own, just like you would normally.
They will straighten themselves out, and bloom at the right time, if not this spring, then next spring. 8)
Val
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Ah the #1 forcing bulb! Should have guessed it was them! :lol:

Scott
grandpasrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1651
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:21 pm
Location: Quesnel, BC, Canada - Zone 4a

You got it Scott! All you have to do is tempt paperwhites that there might be a possibility of blooming, and off they go!! :lol:

Val


Locked

Return to “What Doesn't Fit Elsewhere”