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| I want to move some spring flowering bulbs from my parents garden to mine. We're talking tulips, daffs, crocus and Glory of the Snow. The foliage is totally dry and I would really like to do this maybe in mid August or so. I realize the normal advice is to do this in the fall, but why wouldn't it work to do it earlier? I mean the bulbs are already in the soil, so what's the big deal with simply moving them to new soil? In addition, I've notice when I've accidentally dug up some of my existing Scilla siberica and Fritillaria meleagris as early as mid August (I did this last year), they were already in the process of producing new roots. That leads me to believe existing spring bulbs in gardens may be producing new roots earlier than we think? Thoughts? Kevin |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| With some bulbs you risk rot when moving them during the summer, something about disturbing the soil and bulb that they don't like, but you're right about the earlier rooting. If the soil is moist many bulbs will begin to root in august. Once they begin active growth like that the risk of rot becomes much less. Just take care with the roots, many bulbs don't have branched roots like most perennials do. If you damage the growing tip of the root it won't grow any further. |
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| Thanks Kato. The earlier rooting time I noticed made me think, maybe these should be moved earlier before they start to form new roots. I also should have said, the garden at my parents house is totally dry and is not receiving any additional moisture other than the scarce rainfall we've been receiving. The area at my house where these are being moved to is also totally dry because for right now, nothing else is planted there. I plan on devoting this particular garden to spring bulbs. I might plant some other things there next year, but not now. Kevin |
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| Personally I would do it before the foliage totally disappears, especially since your new planting area is dry. In fact by now a lot of my bulb foliage has already disappeared. Once it's gone, I find it impossible to remember where the clumps of bulbs are! I just moved some of the late-blooming Narcissus with small lemon yellow blooms a couple weeks ago. The foliage on the ones I moved, and the other clumps that were in the old area is already gone. Bulbs are very tough and I have moved them in the middle of blooming without much consequence. I can't imagine they would be set back much from what you describe. I would give them a little bulb fertilizer at transplant (I use an organic product called "Bulbs Alive".) |
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- Posted by christinmk z5b eastern WA (My Page) on Mon, Jul 22, 13 at 10:55
| Kato pretty much answered it but... I tend to move bulbs all the time before fall. The fact is I know I will never get around to doing it in fall (or even remembering where the bulbs ARE), so just go ahead and get it done after they are done blooming, sometimes even during. As long as I make sure to keep the foliage on the bulb while transplanting it is all good. |
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- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Mon, Jul 22, 13 at 11:54
| I move bulbs when I find them. It doesn't seem to make any difference, so if you know where they are, I'd go for it. |
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| On a related note (I am a bit embarrassed to ask this question but I know all of you will be patient with me ;)) I have wondered why one must plant spring flowering bulbs (e.g. for me....daffs and alliums and tulips) in the late fall? Why can not new bulbs be put in the ground in the summer (beyond the reason of availability)? Even up to early July and often beyond there is still the lingering foliage of many spring bulbs. In addition all one's perennials are up and doing there thing. And so the upside of planting spring flowering bulbs in the summer is at that time one is able to see the *exact* location of existing perennials and even completed flowering bulbs (the ratty foliage still above ground) and so one can better place new bulbs. So if I plant more....say...new daffodil bulbs in July what is the difference between the new bulb in the ground and the one that has finished flowering and now is dormant? |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, Jul 22, 13 at 12:12
| nobody mentions.. that you could dig them.. put them in an onion sack.. and simply dry them until proper planting time ... rouge... you plant them in fall.. its pretty simple... BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN THEY SELL THEM ... lol ... where are you going to find someone selling them in july???? ken EDIT: perhaps... because they cant harvest them for sale.. until the leaves die back about now.. eh???? |
This post was edited by ken_adrian on Mon, Jul 22, 13 at 12:13
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| where are you going to find someone selling them in july???? Ken that is why I had included in my post the note: beyond the reason of availability. So there is no botanical reason(s) why a new spring flowering bulb can not be successful if planted in the summer? (If is only availability I should buy extra in the fall :)). |
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| Thank you, thank you all. It seems others have been thinking along my line of thought too and I'm happy to hear some of you are breaking all the rules with success. I should have also mentioned all the dead foliage at my parents garden is still in place, so I won't have any problems locating what I want to locate. I made some pretty good mental notes earlier in the season too. I've kind of given up on the idea of planting most spring bulbs amongst my other perennials. It just gets too difficult when I want to move something and end up digging up bulbs in the process of moving something else. Since I move things around a lot, I've had this problem often. Bulbs that are planted very deep aren't as big a problem, but those little ones just a few inches below the surface are. That's the reason I'm kind of excited about having this area I can devote to spring bulbs. The hedge in the rear of this area will eventually fill in all the bare spots, but that's going to take a few years. In the meantime I have a blank slate to work with. Kevin |
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| I don't mind digging up bulbs all the time, what I don't like is digging up half bulbs! I just dig them in someplace else, it's annoying though when you dig more up in the new spot. The bulbs for sale in the fall need time to die back, then they also need a few weeks to dry out and cure. The drying out puts them into a dormant state which lets the seller pack and ship them without the bulbs giving off too much moisture and rotting.... The time to dig and dry puts you into August/ September. Don't save them until next summer, most will dry out too much and die in the meantime. |
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| aachenelf, dig carefully. I broke a lot of bulbs when I moved because where they come up many times is not where the bulb is buried. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Jul 23, 13 at 12:08
| one other thought on fall planting ... i always.. thought of such.. as one of the last things to do in the soil before winter... as such ... i know where all the spots are to plant things... the few times i did it in summer... i usually .. in fall.. wait for it.. lol disturbed them.. trying to plant more bulbs on top of them.. BECAUSE I FORGOT I DID IT IN THE OFF SEASON.. LOL... aach ... milkweed is near done with seed maturation... did you want me to send some to you... use my members page.. and give me a direct email.. so we can hash it out... and .. since the plant will be planting them itself.. soon.... i dont know why you couldnt do the same... but i will send you enough to sow some now.. some winter sowing.. and spring planting.... ken |
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