Tulip Bulbs..Chilled?!?!?

Oh no, I was just told that my tulip bulbs have to be chilled in the fridge for 8-10 weeks before I plant them. I have 150-200 tulip bulbs that I just bought including double kinds, darwin hybrids, parrots, etc. All sorts. Also, I have some bulbs from last year when I bought them already growing in pots at Wal Mart.

Do I have to do that in my zone 7A? I live between Hickory and Morganton.


Thanks,
Danielle

I can't grow regular tulips as it is too warm down here but I do know it still might be too early to plant tulips in your area, they do need a certain number of chilling hours but how many is the mystery. Brent and Becky's catalog says to always plant after the first frost but before the ground gets hard. In the meantime you probably should keep them in the veggie bin of your refrigerator.

Why don't you call your county extension agent and ask them about it. In the meantime there is a bulb forum here on DG. I know they would have the answers for you.

Good luck.

Hey,

I put them in the crisper drawer of my fridge. I looked on the NC State Univ. site for spring bulbs and it said it didnt have to be pre-chilled. Also, the Burke County co-op page didnt mention it. Just to be sure I emailed a garden expert for this area per the co-op page.

Thanks,
Danielle

pre chilling can't hurt at all addict. just remember not to have any other fresh veggies or fruits in the same frig while the bulbs are in there.

I live in NC z7b and I've had Darwin hybrid tulips Gudoshnik and the Apeldoorn series return for several years without any special treatment. I've also had excellent results with Tulipa clusiana cultivars - if planted where they get full sun in spring with good drainage during the summer they'll multiply and perennialize very well. Some of the single early type tulips are also good perennials. On the other hand, Triumph tulips and some of the other types such as doubles will decline quickly. If you stick to tulips suited for the south (as I recall, the descriptions on Brent and Becky's website usually note the varieties that are good perennializers) you won't have to pre-chill them in z7a. But if you do, make sure the bulbs are nowhere near fruit such as apples, etc. Fruits emit ethylene gas, which causes the flower buds in many bulbs to atrophy so you won't get any flowers the first year after they're planted.

Fruit shouldnt bother the bulbs if in the crisper...should it?

I have the tulip bulbs in the bottom two drawers. I do have fruit in the main part of the fridge. I put my daffodils, muscari, crocus, and hyacinth bulbs in a dark, cool interior closet until planting time.


Danielle

Yes, fruit does offgas in the fridge but ehy are probably OK if they are kept in seperate compartments.

BTW, I got to meet Brent of Brent & Becky fame last week and what a charming gentleman he is.

Ohhhh, learned something useful on this post. Tried chilling down a few bulbs and it didn't seem to work. Have a pretty good idea why it didn't work now.