Question about planting Bulbs in greenhouse...

We just received a large amount of bulbs from Van Bourgandien, and I was wondering if I can plant the Asiatic Lillies, Iris Beauty Series, and Crocus in the greenhouse to force them to come up early. They were from New York so I am not sure if they have had enough cold treatment or not. Thanks for your help

Katrina:
I can't tell you whether the Asiatic lilies or Iris need a cold period in order to bloom, but the crocus definitely do. Probably best to ask the vendor if they require any cold treatment. Do you have a walk-in cooler you can put them in if need be (and I'm not talking an Igloo cooler you put sodas in!)? Asiatic lilies can be forced in the greenhouse and they should bloom in there. The greenhouse I used to work for planted the lily bulbs in 6" pots and raised them for cut flowers. They normally discarded the bulbs once the flowers were harvested, which I couldn't bear to see go to waste. Home with me they went to add to the gardens. My mom still has the asiatic lilies I brought home from there. One of the "Stargazer" variety had over 15 flowers on it last year!

The 'Beauty' series of bulbous Iris should be above ground already and have big root systems. They then stop for the winter and then grow very fast in the spring. plant them now and they should catch up fast. Does Florida get very cold?

Asiatic Lilies should have been planted in September and October so get them planted now. If you cant get them in the ground plant them in 'Long Tom' pots. These will root along the emerging stem and make a stronger plant.

The crocus are VERY late. You might not get flowers next year. My Crocus already have their noses above ground.

We really don't get below 30 hardly at all. I put all the crocus outside and the asiatic lillies in the greenhouse hoping they will come up in there. When you forced them for cut flowers did you chill the bulbs first? We don't have a walk in cooler or anything this is the first year we have done bulbs. The iris beauty are starting to come up so I didn't know if I should put them outside its like 60 high and 30-40 low here avg...

Katrina

I checked on a website I go to about late bulbs. I cant put a link here as it's for members only. Late bulbs must be kept cool not cold and not frozen. This will give the roots a chance to grow and catch up without any warmth forcing the leaves up without roots to support them

So with our temperatures I should put them outside... All of them? Instead of in the greenhouse, but the greenhouse is set to stay at 50-60 degrees during the night so its not hot in there.... Hmmm what would be your reccommendation?

50-60F = 10=15C so get them in the ground today!! Thats warm enough for them to grow roots in no time.

dont you get any frost or snow? spring bulbs need the chill to 'turn them on' thats why in some parts of the US you cant grow good spring bulbs. friends down in New Orleans are very envious of our daffs and tulips. but there are ways round it so they flower every year on time.

Hmmm well we didn't get any daffs and tulips just for that reason that we don't get cold enough. We do get frosts occasionally but not very often! I would love to have tulips and daffs myself but we just don't get cold enough!!! Thanks for all of your info and helP :) I really appreciate it!

Katrina

but are the bulbs in the ground yet?

They are not going into the ground they are in pots, and yes they are planted. When I spoke of "we" I meant the nursery I work for, we are growing them to sell!

Katrina

ah I see. in that case free advice comes with a price! LOL

your Iris 'Beauty' series will need big pots as they grow to about 2 feet. What will you be selling them for? and how many to a pot?

We have them in 1-2 per pot in 6" or 1 gallon pots and they are in the greenhouse, are you saying that we should keep them in their or move them outside??? What price is that??? We will be selling them for 3.29 per pot

Katrina

a 6 inch pot isnt very big for the Iris to grow to their best. They might be a bit stunted. Last year I had each variety in tree pots.

I suppose for your market it doesnt matter when they bloom provided they look good for the public. What you need to think about is will their be enough good light for the growth that will come on more quickly due to the warmth but will the roots grow fast enough to support the new leaves? when I moved my Iris two weekends ago their roots had filled the tree pots already.

I was wondering about the price. I dont buy potted bulbs because they are usually too expensive. I do wait until they look bad and ask the nursery to sell them for a bad price just to move them on. I then plant them in the garden.

Scrooge

Oh sorry wrong thread - thought we were in the word game LOL
Only joking ;)

DO you think 3.29 per pot of 2 each is too high a price for the beauty series? We are also donig 3.29 on narcissus that we are forcing with 2 large bulbs per pot.

Katrina

maybe yours are more expensive than ours. I bought mine September 2001 for 30c each. $3 for a bag of 10.

do you know than the bulbs of these Iris will be the size of small hen eggs after they have gone dormant next year.

I know nurseries have to charge extra to make a profit. some of ours should be wearing a Dick Turpin mask at the till.

Well we paid almost 50c per bulb on most of them so 1.00 in bulbs and then pot soil and labor. We also do wholesale and discounts on quantities. Our prices compared to others in town is lower so I don't think we're doing too bad! This is the first year we've done bulbs though. We will see how ti goes figured it was worth a shot!

katrina

First, I don't remember that we chilled the lilies at all. I do remember that we grew them in the greenhouse the whole time. Course it was spring and summer up there in WI when I was involved in this (I think it's zone 4a or 4b up there where I was).

Second, I think $3.29 is very reasonable. If I recall, the last time I looked at asiatic lilies in Home Depot garden center, they cost about $5 or $6 for a 6" pot with only 1-2 bulbs in them.

Well, they're in the greenhouse we'll just see what happens!!!! Thanks to both of you guys for your help!

Katrina

I must have a look at our plant places to see what they charge for bulbs.

Let me know!

your price = £2.19 which is a good price.

I'm confused are we talking Asiatic lilies or 'Beauty' Iris

I have a number of these iris which i know i should have planted before now. What's the best thing to do with them? I was going to plant them in big pots and leave them outside
???

we were talking about both!!! I was speaking with Mark of the iris and butterfly of the asiatic!!!!

Katrina

PHILOMEL!!! they should have been in the ground in September. major slap on the wrist for you.

Mine are already 6+ inches high. These are winter growing Iris (is it Dutch or English?!) unlike Dutch/English that start to grow in the spring. One or other grow now and the other grows later.

I found the following on the 'net just now.
Dutch iris, Iris xiphium, are small!!?? bulbs that are planted in the fall for late winter to early spring flowers.

I wouldnt describe them as small. maybe when they are bought. Mine are bigger than film canisters. here are their photos http://www.marksgardenplants.com/iris.htm and do they know how to multiply!? there are so many bulbils around there bases when they go dormant. rabbits wouldnt get a look in LOL

Thanks Katrina, I went back and reread the whole thread - very useful :)

Lovely photos Mark! Yes mine are the dutch. I used to have Gypsy Queen that you sent me the beautiful photo of before. One in my current batch is Gypsy Beauty, which i assume is bred from it? I found a load going cheaper - because it was after planting time, but still haven't got them into the pots :(
Oh well, can't til the end of the week now, but i'll do it then

set the alarm for half and hour earlier!

:P
Half an hour, you've got to be joking! You haven't seen my bag of bulbs

You two are too funny!!!! :)

:o)

According to the packaging info the beauty series are Dutch iris that flower in June
Mine are in pots now anyway - so Ill keep them warmer than freezing for a month to let them grow roots and then put them right outside do you think?

Which ones do you both have - mine are Black Beauty, Gypsy Beauty, Bronze Beauty and Oriental Beauty.

I have those ones too! I did find a site recently with lots of named varieties but forgot to save the link.

I hope you will be able to see them next year and the extermination continues as soon as a certain plant shows it's nose above ground - namely bindweed

This message was edited Wednesday, Dec 18th 6:09 PM

Sorry, maybe it's me, but I don't understand your last paragraph at all
???

reworded for ya.

LOLOL Me too :P

Have put the bulbs in pots as I'm still doing battle :)

BTW how did you make the right hand side of the box disappear on that post edit or is it only my IE?

huh?

On my screen your 4.46pm post doesn't have the right hand verticle line completing the box it should be in

you been drinking today?

Only 1 glass of a particularly pleasing claret at lunchtime ;)

Self explanatory photo (i hope)

Hahhaha! I can't remember right now which varieties we have but I will look when I get to work tommorow we got a beauty series mix I will let ya tommorow