Can you plant bulbs (tulips and/or daffodils) now?

[Mary•Poppins]

A friend's sister just passed away and I try to buy a plant, bush, bulbs, etc. that will bloom when the person's loved one passed away.

I bought bulbs for a friend of mine when her father died (his birthday was in the spring) so when they bloom they remind her of her father. Anyway, I am not a gardener and I was wondering if I could buy and give these as a gift for my friend. It is spring and the tulips and daffodils are blooming now. Just not sure if you can plant them now??

Would love to know what the gardening experts know ... thank you!

 

[wdwfan16]

It is best to plan blubs in the fall. That is when the companies will ship them to you.

 

[DebbieB]

That's a nice idea. I live in my mom's house, she passed away almost 5 years ago. The daffodils & tulips she planted still come up every year. First sign of spring when I see the buds. I saw the little buds start to come up right before we got 40 inches of snow at the beginning of February. I was worried all the snow on top of them might harm them, but it didn't, they are more beautiful than ever. I like to think she watches over them!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

It depends on what zone the bulbs are planted in and if the bulbs are hardy in that zone or not. If you are in zone 6 and the bulbs say they are hardy is zones 4-8 then you can leave them in the ground all winter after planting them in the spring. But if you are in zone 3 you will need to dig up the bulbs every year because they likely will not survive the winter in the ground

 

[luvmy3]

If you are planning on giving them a potted arrangement of bulbs that have flowers now, they should be saved and planted in the ground in the fall.

 

[wdhinn89]

If you are planning on giving them a potted arrangement of bulbs that have flowers now, they should be saved and planted in the ground in the fall.

Really

So I cannot plant the tulip basket I received for Easter now? I have to wait for the fall?

How about lillies? The flowers have died but the green plant part is healthy.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Really

So I cannot plant the tulip basket I received for Easter now? I have to wait for the fall?

How about lillies? The flowers have died but the green plant part is healthy.

Bulbs that are forced to flower early don't normally transfer well. Here is an article that gives details

http://www.donnan.com/potted-tulips.htm

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here is the thing...

You can go ahead and plant the plants now. It is ok to plant as it is spring time and normal bloom time for them.

However the thing with tulips are that they are just not great plants to come back. They may get fungus issues and the plants you are getting at Walmart, etc. are not great selections and tend to be one hit wonders. To keep tulips coming back you really have to dig them up in the fall and dip them in fungicide.

Daffodils are a better pick and are pretty hardy. Now you will have to get the ones that are selling to be planted outside and not in the floral dept.

Go ahead and plant the lillies.

 

[wdhinn89]

Thanks!

 

[marthachick]

OP-There are Summer flowering bulbs that you can plant now. See the website below from NC State University (DS will be going there this fall ) for some ideas:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/bulbs-summer/indeca-e.html

 

[kimmar067]

A friend's sister just passed away and I try to buy a plant, bush, bulbs, etc. that will bloom when the person's loved one passed away.

I bought bulbs for a friend of mine when her father died (his birthday was in the spring) so when they bloom they remind her of her father. Anyway, I am not a gardener and I was wondering if I could buy and give these as a gift for my friend. It is spring and the tulips and daffodils are blooming now. Just not sure if you can plant them now??

Would love to know what the gardening experts know ... thank you!

...well, you could plant the full-grown flowers so that next year they'll bloom again....

 

[manning]

That's a nice idea. I live in my mom's house, she passed away almost 5 years ago. The daffodils & tulips she planted still come up every year. First sign of spring when I see the buds. I saw the little buds start to come up right before we got 40 inches of snow at the beginning of February. I was worried all the snow on top of them might harm them, but it didn't, they are more beautiful than ever. I like to think she watches over them!

Suprisingly snow acts like an insulator.

 

[manning]

Here is the thing...

You can go ahead and plant the plants now. It is ok to plant as it is spring time and normal bloom time for them.

However the thing with tulips are that they are just not great plants to come back. They may get fungus issues and the plants you are getting at Walmart, etc. are not great selections and tend to be one hit wonders. To keep tulips coming back you really have to dig them up in the fall and dip them in fungicide.

Daffodils are a better pick and are pretty hardy. Now you will have to get the ones that are selling to be planted outside and not in the floral dept.

Go ahead and plant the lillies.

Our tulips have been coming up every year for 20 plus years. We just leave them in the ground.

 

[shortbun]

I got some bulbs last fall and didn't plant them. I asked a woman I know who is a 'master gardener' if I could plant them in the spring. She said to keep them in a cool, dry place and plant them in the fall. She said the bulbs would not keep over the summer not having sprouted prior. I guess you could try it. I'm keeping my bulbs cool and dry.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I got some bulbs last fall and didn't plant them. I asked a woman I know who is a 'master gardener' if I could plant them in the spring. She said to keep them in a cool, dry place and plant them in the fall. She said the bulbs would not keep over the summer not having sprouted prior. I guess you could try it. I'm keeping my bulbs cool and dry.

You misunderstood what she meant. The reason she wanted you to plant in the fall is because they were not bloomed out. There was no point to planting them in the spring.

If you buy something for planting now, you can plant them now. For a short time in the spring nurseries will have spring bulbs to plant in the ground.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Our tulips have been coming up every year for 20 plus years. We just leave them in the ground.

I am not debating whether tulips can come back. I was just saying that daffodils are pretty hardy and have a better chance at coming back than tulips.

I have the opposite issue. I am trying to figure out what to do with my bloomed bulbs in my front landscaping. I am going to dig them up and replant them in the back. I could cut them down but that lessens them from blooming next yr......what to do.

 

[720L]

Every year I plant my hyacinths and tulips from Easter after they die. They all come up the next year.....I have tulips out there right now .

 

[mhsjax]

I always read that tulips have to be planed in a cold ground. That is why nobody in Fl has tulips and unless they are "forced" meaning that you put them in a freezer or really cold frig. But then again, my thumb is as brown as it gets.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I always read that tulips have to be planed in a cold ground. That is why nobody in Fl has tulips and unless they are "forced" meaning that you put them in a freezer or really cold frig. But then again, my thumb is as brown as it gets.

Bulbs do need about 16 weeks of 45 degrees to support flowers during the root growing phase.

My guess for Florida is that it is just too wet and bulbs probably would rot.

Tulips are highly susceptible to fungus diseases.

 

[PixieTopaz]

Here is the thing...

You can go ahead and plant the plants now. It is ok to plant as it is spring time and normal bloom time for them.

However the thing with tulips are that they are just not great plants to come back. They may get fungus issues and the plants you are getting at Walmart, etc. are not great selections and tend to be one hit wonders. To keep tulips coming back you really have to dig them up in the fall and dip them in fungicide.

Daffodils are a better pick and are pretty hardy. Now you will have to get the ones that are selling to be planted outside and not in the floral dept.

Go ahead and plant the lillies.

agree completetly-do daffodils