Sprouting Bulbs

[TooManyRabbitsAndNotEnoughChickens]

After jealously admiring my neighbours displays of spring flowers, I bought a job lot of very cheap crocus, daffodil and big allium bulbs. My clever plan was to store them until autumn and then plant them.

However, they've just been delivered and most of them are sprouting. What should I do with them? Can I store them in that condition? Should I plant then now? Or just bin them?

As you can probably tell, I don't really know what I'm doing.

plant them. i only put mine in a couple of weeks ago as I was ill over winter and couldn't be bothered to dig my bed. they should come up next year.

if any are mouldy or rotting, though, chuck those ones.

These types of bulbs are usually sold in the autumn. The reason they were so cheap is probably because they were leftover stock. Well done, you bagged a bargain. Stick 'em in now. You never know some might even flower this year, they're obviously raring to go.

The alliums should flower in the summer (that's when mine flower and most are already poking their shoots through the bark). The others may grow, put on green leaves but not flower - let them do their thing, die back and then they'll be ready for next year.

Bulbs are live plants, they really won’t store til the Autumn unless you have refrigerated storage ( not just putting them in your fridge!) They need planting.

I planted some spring bulbs this time last year. Last year it was leaves only but I have flowers this year.

They won't keep, if you save them until autumn they'll have dried out or rotted.

Get any that seem healthy in the ground now (general rule is three times as deep as the bulb length). You might get some flowers. Let them die back naturally, as they get their energy for next year from the sun on the leaves this year.

I find alliums usually rot in my heavy clay soil, but crocuses and daffs usually come back. You might be lucky! But the best time for bulb bargains is usually December/January, when you still have time to get them in the soil for spring.