tulips already coming up - is this ok?

Last year I decided I wanted some tulips even though we're not really in a tulip-climate. So, I planted them in recycled pots and buried the pots in larger tubs. This way I was able to dig up the pots and bring them inside (and give as gifts). They did great. After they finished, I let them dry and then put the bulbs in the fridge. A few weeks ago, I replanted them (again in pots) with the intention of burying the pots in deeper containers (like last year). But I didn't have enough soil on hand, so I just put them on our open-air side porch. Now, I see some shoots already coming up! What should I do? Is there any chance that these will actually bloom now?

Put them in the ground; often bulbs will root and send shoots just under the surface in the fall, which wait until spring to truly grow. Weather they will bloom depends on weather they experience the right chilling, so in-ground is your safest bet.

I agree with JamesCo. But unless you get a sustained period of freezing cold weather they will continue to grow and eventually bloom no matter where they are planted. What you have to remember with Spring blooming plants is that they need a period of rest and cool down. They do not care when that is. They are just confused. If they have come up a few inches above the surface of the ground, then I would cover them with mulch to protect them until your last frost in the Spring. They will take a little cold weather, so good luck!

Dave

This message was edited Nov 24, 2006 8:02 AM

Jo~

When you chilled your bulbs you set them up to emerge quickly. They would have stored fine at cool room temperature. But that just spilled milk at this point.

You might try mulching over them so that the sun is kept from warming the soil and it will help protect any emerged growth from frost.

How deep did you put them? If they were on the shallow side, that and the pre-chilling may have contributed to the early growth.

If they come on too fast, they can "blast", that is, bloom on very short stems, often right down near soil level in the crown, so the mulch may help them next spring. Hopefully they will have settled into the situation and will bloom normally.

Hey Dave- I like your screen name, very appropriate. Do you take part in the Tulip mania in Pella? When does your town have their festivals this coming year? What I'd really like is to get a picture of that huge plot of nothing but 'Queen of Night' Tulips.
Kenton

I have some hyacinths in pots kind of doing the same thing. They were forced in pots and tossed after the blooms faded; I nabbed them from the dumpster. They've sat dry in the pots all summer, but are very shallow- top of the bulb exposed. I can already see the flower buds plainly. I'm going to just plant them at normal depth and see what happens.

Kenton, I've been envisioning a mass planting of QotN too. Very tempted having seen 100 of them on ebay for about $25 with shipping. My little combo of QotN with Maureen has me wanting to plant a yin/yang garden. Realistically, that's a bit too designed and contrived for my setting, but a black and white garden is really calling to me.

I think you planted them too early for Georgia.

I always chill tulip bulbs for at least two - three months in this part of middle Georgia, beginning in September. I have one of those little "dorm" refrigerators I use for them. I get the area ready for planting in October/November, but I don't take them from the fridge and put them into the ground until mid December. Even then they will often start to sprout if there's a warm week or two in January. But I have found that in Georgia, as with most of the SPRING bulbs, sprouting a little bit well before bloom time is OK. I have Dutch irises already putting up little green sprouts in November, but they'll be OK until bloom time in April. Or at least they've always been OK in the past!

Hope this helps.

Apprecate all the response, people. Decided not to worry and just planted the pots in deeper contaners and covered them all up with pine straw. That's what I did last year (probably around the same time) and they all did fine. I can always move the pots individually - or the entire containers - to an unheated porch or semi-heated greenhouse, or even indoors if I need to. We've had a fairly mild November here, but Georgia weather is always unpredictable in the fall and winter. No matter; green things usually manage to survive, don't they? Plants rock!

My T.saxatilis have leaves emerging. I'm just getting into the species and these went in last fall, so this may be normal for them. Anyone have experience with this tulip?

I'll bet those are the ones popping up along my front walk, also.... seems to be about the number I had left (5 or 6) after last year's voracious vole... I think I remember them doing this last fall also, and they bloomed just fine in spring.