Beginner Gardening: Tulips Question, 1 by MrsLidwell

MrsLidwell wrote:
Ok great! Thats just what I wanted to hear :)

Next question... from everything I've read on the internet about tulips, the bulbs need to be a certain size before they will have enough energy to bloom a flower. Prior to reaching this size, they will only grow folliage. Does anyone have any idea about what SIZE the bulbs need to be in order to produce a flower bloom? Reason I ask is because I have LOTS and LOTS of what I believe to be tulip bulblets, and I'm trying to get an idea of how big and how many years it will be before they will be able to bloom (as well as try to gauge some of the bigger ones to see if they will need a couple more years before blooming or if they will bloom next year based on the current size of the bulbs).

Also, for as many bulbs as I do have now, I was thinking about trying to put much of them through an early dormancy period (by putting them in the back of my refridgerator) while I get the rest of my flowerbeds and veggie gardens set up and figure out a good spot for these bulbs to have a home to replant in the fall. If I put them in an early dormancy period, like now, then replant them this fall, will that hurt their chances of living and/or producing flowers next spring?

Below is a picture of just a few of the bulblets I found that I believe are tulip bulblets. The next picture I post will be of what I am calling "mid-sized" bulbs which have started producing folliage prior to my digging them up yesterday.