Does anyone know how long bulbs will last unplanted? I got SUPER lucky through freecycle. I love irises and lillies the best and someone needed to have their iris garden dug up as they could no longer take care of them. There are over 50 different colors and varieties. It would have taken me forever to acquire this kind of flower garden so I'm very happy. There are a lot to plant though and I was wondering how long they'll keep. TIA!

By Marie on Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 09:34 pm:

I would place them in a brown paper bag in a cool dry place and plant them spring time next year. They should be alright. I usually buy bulbs towards the end of season because they are so cheap and usually plant them right before fall when it starts to cool down or store them until I spring

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 11:20 pm:

I have no idea. I have some in my garage. I should plant them in the fall and see if they come up. I was just wondering that today, too. I got 25, and I planted 15, so I should still have 10. Worth a shot, anyway.

By Rayelle on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 12:26 am:

Oh wow Marie, that long huh? That is good news, I can do a bit at a time. I planted about 200 of them along the fence on one side and out by the garage and I've given some to others. I just hope I don't miss out on a color, the man couldn't remember what was what and couldn't find his papers.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 06:54 am:

Here's a good link for Iris: Iris We had an Iris bed for a long time - my mom loved bearded Iris - and my memory agrees with this article. I'm in SE PA (planting zone 6), and we left them in the ground all year. I cut back the leaves after they turned brown in the fall, and put a couple of inches of mulch on top, and the rhizomes never froze. They will spread, so, as the article says, don't plant them too close together or you will have to dig them up every few years and separate them.

For lillies: lillies Again, my memory agrees with this.

The most important part is the soil preparation - making sure there is good drainage, and mixing a good mulch in with the soil to provide proper feeding and drainage. If your soil has a lot of clay (mine does), I found that using gardening gypsum according to the directions on the package works wonderfully to loosen clayey soil and provide good drainage. If you are preparing your soil for the first time, you need to dig up the soil a lot deeper than you intend to plant - at least 10 inches, and mix in the mulch and whatever else and put it back. Let it settle a week or two and then plant your rhizomes and bulbs at the depths recommended.

By Rayelle on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 10:18 am:

Thanks Ginny! I'm in the zone 6 too being from md.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 02:34 pm:

I leave my bulbs in the ground, all year around, here too, in Ohio. I am a low maintenances flower garden person. I plant them and let them do their thing.. LOL Lazy? probably so.. LOL When someone mows I go out and weed a bit, beyond that I do nothing. My yard is full of flowers..

By Bea on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 04:14 pm:

Get them into the ground by this autumn, at the latest. You will probably not get any flowers next year, because the greens haven't soaked up enough sunlight. If you get them in the ground now, there's a chance, but I wouldn't count on it. Summer bulbs go in in the spring.... gladiola, lilies etc. Spring bulbs daffodil, tulip, crocus, iris etc. must be planted no later than autumn.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, June 20, 2008 - 06:55 pm:

tulips and daffodils can stay in the ground. Gladiolas and dahlias need to be dug up, in the winter, up here in Wisconsin. I think I'm in zone 5.