Age Old Question Storing Bulbs

My mom moved to a new home last fall. She planted bulbs that have bloomed and are done already. She has someone who is doing some heavy soil amending in her beds today, so yesterday she dug up all of her bulbs (leaving the green on them) and has them spread out on newspaper in her garage. She said they were expensive bulbs and she doesn't want to have to replace them so is wanting to know how she can store them until planting again in the fall. Does anyone know? I am also going to post this question in the Texas Gardening Forum since other Texans know how hot our summers are.

We have to dig up elephant ears, cannas and the like every winter and store them in the basement. Loosing maybe 10% a year was almost tolerable but this year I lost a bunch of different cannas. Some look dry rotted and a few others are just mushy. Mostly all dry rot for a lack of better words.

SO What i the propper method for storing such bulbs over winter?

We put many on trays laying on news paper, others are in paper grocery bags. I see no actual visual mold or fungus signs...Just dried up bulbs when the majority look new off the store shelves with little growth tips ready to be planted.
I HATE THIS AND I GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHY THIS HAPPENS OR DOESN'T HAPPEN.
Please advise, I know someone here can tell me whats going on.
OH BTW, we store them in the dark too, almost6 all the mud is removed from them before sticking them in the dark...Hmm what other details am I forgetting? Storage temps are around 70 to 75F.
HOLYCRAP! My wife JUST brought this to my attn. for the 1st time...She said she found a bunch of these beetle like bugs that resemble roaches. I've always called them waterbugs as they are usually found around basement floor drains. I was told by 1 person that they're actually roaches, just not cock roaches. She said these bugs were all over the underside of the bags when she went to move the bags over winter. the bulbs show no signs of being eaten on at all. They just appear to have shriveled up and dried out or the biggest ones got a lil mushy.
EEWWW This both grosses me out and makes me very angry. I sure hope you guys can help me out on this 1.
Thanks so much, JD

JD,
Okus posted a response in the Texas Forum and suggested storing bulbs in netting hanging in a cool dark place such as your guest room closet.

Thanks, I'll look that up!
JD

Question has now been answered. Thanks!

I've also been told to keep them buried in a pot stored in a dark place with cool temps to force dormancy. Only thing is, I don't think such a place exists in my house. It's either room temp or by back basement doorway which cna get too cold when we get our imfamous cold spells here in Kansas. It never lasts very long but it's very common to get a week or so of below zero temps, sometimes longer and sometimes colder.
In all the places I've lived in my life, Kansas takes the cake when it comes to weather extremes. It can be over 100F for weeks in summer and below zero for weeks less than six months later. Oh well, does anyone really love the weather where they live al the time? I'm sure there are a few but I'd like to think it's rare otherwise I need to move!

JD,
We have wild weather swings here in north Texas, too. Although we don't have many "below zero" days. The swings that bother me are the 85 degrees one day and 35 degrees the next!

JLD I found out today I have cannas that I'm going to dig up at the end of the season, if you'd like when I dig it up I'll be more than glad to send them to you. My DH has been mowing them down when he does the lawn but I'm going to let them bloom then wilt so I can dig them up. Just let me know, heck if it won't hurt them I'll chop them down some and dig them up now and send them to you.

Saint

Hi Saint.
What color cannas are you allowing your hubby to butcher? I just read this post to my wife and when I got to the mowing over part, she did 1 of those rapid, pannicked inhales as if she almost ran over the dog!LOL I don't think it would hurt them to be cut down this time of year as that is all we do at the end of the season. They may not bloom or multiply but would live IMO.
Thanks so much for your generous offer!
JD

ROFL...I think (and it's just a I think) they are yellow (or maybe white but I'm thinking white) If I can just trim them to the stalk before the leaves and dig them up now I will. All up to ya'll I don't mind a big hole in my yard at all.

LOL Saint. Those sound wonderful and we would be honored to have some. I'll happily pay for postage and your time/trouble.
Your so lucky to be able to leave them in the ground over winter, ours turn into mush if we do. You wouldn't believe how many bulbs we must dig up every fall and plant again every spring. They all won't fit into 10 five gallon buckets anymore but some of the elephant ear bulbs are bowling ball sized. hey btw, would you be interested in any elephant ears? I have tons of those if you'd like to trade. Whatever you'd like to do, I'm with you. Thanks again, your very kind!
JD
Please email me if we need to make arrangements for s&h or funds etc...

bahh won't cost but a couple of bucks to ship so don't worry about it. I'll chop them down to about 1ft from the ground and dig them up first of the week (if that's ok with you, I'd do it sooner but I'm having company this weekend) How should I pack them with moist towels or just dry? I can priority them so it shouldn't take more than a few days.

Well your entirely too kind. I would think 2-3 day mail would be best and put them in a trash bag containing something moist like paper towels. I've found lately that stuff dries out fast with out plastic bags. I've had some things shipped with rootballs moistened in plastic and the leafy matter in news paper only to find them almost totally dehydrated. I wouldn't be suprised if it costs you around 10 or more bucks to send those so don't be afraid to change your mind about me paying for your generosity. Now I'll have yellow cannas from Orange Texas...Yeehaa! I dig just the sound of that!
Just let me know what I need to do and I'll get-R-done;)
Thanks, jeff

LOL..not a problem just email me your address and I'll send them off Monday. And the post office has a new deal now that they have three size priority boxes that go by size and not weight so I'd think the 7 buck box will be fine.

WOW! That is cool that the post office has boxes by size rather than wieght, I can really take advantage of that as I have some electronics I need to ship but haven't due to wieght.
I'll email you now and thanks again!