Hi from Portugal!

Hello everyone!

I have some doubts about bulbs, and a fellow DG'er suggested I post here, since CA seems to have rather similar weather to ours. - I'm also in Zone 10, and the rest of Europe has very different weather from the portuguese...

I've just planted some crocus and freesias, and I was wondering if they are located in a position that gets enough sun for them to bloom... It's partial shade from neighbouring larger plants, in a southern exposure balcony...

I'm also uncertain about how long they take to pop something out.....

Do you think they'd need pre-chilling?

Help! ;-)

Thanks a lot!

Freesia's don't need prechilling (at least I don't think so--I grow them here in zone 9 and don't chill them, but we do get a few frosty nights here and there). I grew them on a covered patio that faced south, but they still got afternoon sun. They bloomed fine, but the stems were all kind of floppy so I don't know if that's because they just do that, or if it's because they would have liked a little more sun. I plant them in the fall, then over the winter the leaves will come up, and then they bloom in the spring.

Hi from California. My husband is Portuguese, born in the Azores, Terceira. We will get there someday..hey you'll be our tour guide while we're in Lisboa????
Good luck with your plants, sounds like you'll have no trouble with them..picturing pots on the balcony!

Ecrane, there you are! ;-) Thanks for the advice, I think I'm going to hope for the best then... just see what happens. Usually it's a good way to learn, LOL! I hope this time it won't be with the expense of my dear little freesia and crocus bulbs...

Have you tried crocus?

How's your Dublin doing? (still laughing of my own silly mistake LOL)!

Weegie - of course I'd be delighted to show you around when you're in Lisboa!!!! It will be fun! Your husband comes from a gorgeus island, by the way!

As for my plants, I'm a wee bit nervous with this bulb thing... I guess I have to see it to believe it, LOL! They still look like onions to me! ROFL!

My Dublin's fine! I'm getting myself ready for fall planting, just got some freesia bulbs last weekend as a matter of fact so I'll be planting those in a few weeks. Never tried crocuses--my mom had them in our yard when I was growing up in Ohio and just left them in the ground and they came up every year, but it got plenty chilly there so I can't answer the pre-chill or not question on those! I think they'll do OK in part shade though, that's where hers were.

Yes and he can't wait to get there to see how it's changed myhiraeth. We've been wanting to go for many years now and it looks like it might be in the foreseeable future now that 4 of our kids are on their own and we only have the 1 left here to think about...maybe she'll go with us. Will keep you posted and let you know if we make plans to visit.

Welcome to the CA forum. I grow crocus but have to put in new bulbs every year. They do not seem to understand zone 10 and cannot figure out when to come up the second year. Freesias stay in the ground just fine. Plant in fall for very early spring flowers. Most of the bulbs have bloomed out by mid april for me. Watsonia is the exception. I have glads blooming now but they were planted in late June. Sadly, hyacinths and most tulips do poorly for me.

Thanks for your welcome, frogs!

LOL, I always thought tulips would be a problem if you're not in Holland....

Poor crocus! Maybe if we put them in the freezer around the end of summer the little guys will feel better, what do you think? Well it can't hurt to try...!

If anyone else has experience with these, please share!

Don't freeze your crocus, they would prefer the refrigerator for 6 weeks!

Freesias always flop, it's good to plant them with something underneath to support them. If you want an inexpensive solution, I use a green wire hanging basket, turned upside down, atop them. The groundcover and bulbs grow right through them and it helps support the flower stems a bit more.

Daffodils don't need winter chill and might be a better choice than crocus. Good luck with your pots!

Thanks Jkom! Loved your suggestion, and I'm sure it also looks nice! I'll try the refrigerator instead, then. Mine has those boxes for vegetables that I never use (I buy fresh ones when I need them, the refrigerator seems to take "the edge" out of their taste..) - so the bulbs can have their privacy there, LOL!

Daffodils are nice, I'll try them also!

Be very,very careful with narcissus though. They will take over your entire garden. Lol! Keep them in pots so they cannot travel. Ornithogalums do very well for me here. They come in varying colors and heights so it is easy to make a very pleasing area with them.