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cynna_leaf

Help please: allium bulbs sprouted too soon

cynna_leaf
13 years ago

I got some wonderful bulbs in late October and put them into pots and planters the second week of November. One container has 5 types layered in, 4 alliums and one hyacinth (about 50 bulbs altogether). I'd lightly watered them so the roots would get started, but didn't put them outside as the temperatures were supposed to drop to below 0 (32F) over night (I was about to have surgery and had to be finished with bulbs).

We ended up with a crazy long cold snap, -10 temps, very unusual for us, so I kept my planters and pots inside in a cool dark place, with lightly layered plastic bags on them so they wouldn't dust up the air. 3 weeks have gone by, and tonight I went to give them a touch of water in preparation for putting them on the balcony tomorrow morning, and to my shock one large planter (the allium one) had sprouts hiding under the plastic. Took the scrunched bag off and the allium sprouts started moving (like a nature movie) for 10 minutes until they were standing up. The sprouts/leaves are about 11' high (def leggy!), and ridiculously strong.

Any suggestions? These weren't supposed to come up yet - I think these are the allium hair and allium azureums that have sprouted. I'm going to move them to under a very cold window tonight (it'll be about 15 degrees/60F there). Outside I was going to pack newspaper & cardboard around the pots, but still we'll be between 0 and 8 in the next couple weeks (32-46F); my condo patio is 17 stories up so usually a bit warmer and slightly protected, but I don't know what process I should go through before moving them there.

Here's my dilemma: I can't make this an 'indoor' planter, what can I do for these that will protect them from dying now and have them come back in 3 months? I figure I have 2 options:

1: I gently coax them back to laying down somewhat, then cover them with more soil and mulching. Hoping the greenery would die off/fall off and new sprouts come in spring, or go dormant and new growth in spring.

2: I trim the growth back, cover with mulching, hope for all new growth in spring.

Any ideas? I was really looking forward to these and don't want to doom them. Honestly, I can't believe how they've rooted and grown so fast in 3 weeks - their vitality is fantastic, but I'm panicking over how long they are and what I can do for them.

The photo shows where I already laid the bag on the left side, so I think they'll lay down if needed.

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(Crossposted from Container Gardening)

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