Question about bulbs

[Tricia]

Someone gave me tulip bulbs several months ago and I didn't know they needed to be planted in the fall. If I plant them now, what will happen? Will they ever bloom? (Maybe in the spring of 2010?) Will they be ruined if I save them to plant in the fall of '09? I have about 200 bulbs and I don't want to lose them.

[backyardgardener]

What planting Zone do you live in?
Hardiness Zone Map

[Tricia]

I'm in zone 8

[backyardgardener]

You will have to force your bulbs to bloom this year.
Forcing Spring Bulbs

You can still plant them in the ground, but I don't know if they will bloom.

Backyard

[Newt]

Hi Tricia,

Great advice from Backyard Gardener. I'd say to plant them now too. Don't plant any that are mushy or have mold growing on them.

Many of the hybrid tulips are grown these days as annuals. Do you know what variety or species of tulips you have?

Newt

[Tricia]

I'm so new to this I don't even know how to answer your questions. Does Menton and Purissima tell the color of the tulip or the species?

I read the article about "forcing". Are y'all telling me I have to keep these bulbs cold for 15 weeks. It is going to get to freezing this weekend but it's been in the 70s all week. I only have one refrigerator so I certainly can't cool 200 bulbs for 15 weeks.

I am a college graduate and run a profitable small business. I know I can learn to plant flowers. It's just something I've never done before so I really appreciate y'all's instructions.

[Newt]

Tricia, I don't think you are going to be able to chill these tulips for 15 weeks either. Best to plant them as soon as you can. They may not bloom this year but maybe next year. Tulips do best when planted where they will have dry conditions in the summer, so best not to plant where you will be watering other plants.

Tulipa 'Menton' is a variety of tulip. It comes in shades of apricot, rose, pink and peach and is a Darwin hybrid, so they won't produce seed and are sterile. BUT they should come back year after year if planted in the right location. They tend to bloom late in spring, which is good for you since you are planting so late.
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/BTUME.html
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64256/

This site reviews plantings of many tulips and mentions 'Menton' along with 'Purple Flag' in a mix called 'Dawn to Dusk Duet' as the ninth review down the page. There is a picture too.
http://www.bundlings.com/garden_tulips.htm

"Plant: Tulip "Dawn to Dusk Duet" (Menton and Purple Flag)
Source: Van Dyck's
Quantity: 20
Planted: 10/9/04
Blooms: Mid-April
Notes: Free with purchase. Planted in back garden. The Menton tulips bloom a week or two after the Purple Flag tulips. This is one of the reasons I don't care for tulip mixes. The Menton tulips are really beautiful, perfect pink tulips."

More info about Darwin hybrids with 'Menton' being mentioned with a picture.
http://www.theplantexpert.com/spring...inHybrids.html


Tulipa 'Purissima' - seems to come in white and is named 'White Emperor' which is fragrant, or yellow and named 'Yellow Purissima' (golden yellow). They are hybrids that should return year after year if planted in the right place.
http://www.theplantexpert.com/spring...osteriana.html

Quote from next to last description at bottom of the page here with a picture of the white Purissima aka 'White Emperor'. They didn't do well for this person. You can read the quote from the last link here. I suspect they may have been planted in the wrong place and might have had too much moisture in the summer.
http://www.bundlings.com/garden_tulips.htm

"Plant: Tulips "Purissima"
Source: Menards
Quantity: 16
Planted: Fall 2001
Blooms: Early April
Notes: Relocated in 2003 to front corner of front garden. Only a few remained and we removed them after their 2004 blooms to make room for new columbine plants."

You might find this interesting to read about tulips and which ones come back each year.
http://www.slate.com/id/2138844/

Info on bulbs that come back year after year and multiply.
http://www.theplantexpert.com/spring...Perennial.html
http://www.bulb.com/templates/dispat...=100&tg=public

How to plant bulbs.
http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publ...F/FSA-2096.pdf

Don't hesitate to ask more questions.
Newt