As a result of these warm temperatures, my inbox has been flooded with questions from panicked gardeners wondering what to do with their bulbs which are beginning to sprout. The answer to that question could be viewed as reassuring to the relaxed gardener or unnerving to the worrisome one. The truth is, there’s not much you can do but wait. Some people feel that covering the sprouts with a blanket, straw, or mulch will help. This would be true if say we were in the middle of spring and we were just happening to be experiencing a night or two of frost. But the truth is, winter will most likely come back yet this year (sorry to those of you hoping to slide right into spring). When that happens, the foliage is going to brown and dieback. Covering them at this point in the season will only insulate the warmth into the ground and cause the plants to sprout even MORE making it even harder from them to bounce back from this traumatic experience later. But have no fear! As long as the plants do not begin to produce flower buds, they should show no ill-affects come springtime.

If flower buds do begin to appear, you have one of two options: #1) Let them run their course. You may see less flowers this spring, or, if you’re extremely optimistic, perhaps we won’t get winter this year and the bulb will be allowed to continuing growing and blooming just like normal (all be it a few months too early). Or, #2) You could gently try to dig up the bulb while paying special attention to leave as many roots intact as possible and replant them in a pot or other container that can be brought indoors so that you can enjoy the blooms in the warmth of your own home. Obviously, the number of bulbs affected by this will probably determine which option you choose.

So there you have it: the short answer to one of the most popular question with gardeners today. I actually did quite an extensive blog post about this same topic a couple years back which may help if you would like to read more about it or have any questions that weren’t answered above. You can read it here. In the next week or so, I’ll also be posting another blog about what other affects this unseasonably warm winter is going to have on our spring and summer gardens…the information might surprise you!

With hands in the dirt and head in the clouds,

P.S. Don’t forget to get your recipes in for the 2012 Homegrown Recipe Contest! The deadline is fast-approaching in just a little over 2 weeks!

“My daffodils are starting to come up…the problem is that it is starting to snow a bit. Should I cover up the green that has started to sprout? I don’t want them to die!”

~Tammy from Cincinnati, Ohio

Does this sound familiar? At the middle to end of winter, we all hope for those warmer days with bright sunshine. But what about when those days come in the middle of January or February before the spring is really here? Oftentimes, these “touches of spring” can cause premature sprouting of bulbs. The growth starts showing itself above the ground, giving us hope of warmer days to come, only to be smothered with snowflakes a week later. So what is the best plan of action in a situation like this?

Well, my first piece of advice is simple: do not worry too much. If your bulbs are starting to come up early, they are simply reacting to the weather around them, which is out of your control. Think about it this way: if these bulbs where growing in the wild (as they originally did), they would experience this same thing from time to time and would still flourish without the intervention of any human. A little bit of foliage growth during freezing temperatures is not a big deal for these bulbs and should not affect their flowering in the months to come. If this happens in the wintertime, chances are that more cold weather is on its way. In this environment, the foliage will yellow and die back, returning the bulb to its “dormancy” period. This is completely normal and should just be allowed to happen.

Now if the weather continues to stay unseasonably warm, there is a slight chance that the bulbs may begin to produce flower buds. If this happens, your intervention may be necessary in order to protect these buds. Simply find some dry leaves, straw, or even sawdust to cover the sprouting plants and buds. Once the weather begins to warm and the threat of frost is gone, uncover the plants and allow them to continue to grow as normal. If the frost does happen to get to these flower buds, those flower buds will be damaged for the current season. However, this does not necessarily mean that the bulb will not produce additional flower buds at the proper time and then bloom as it normally should. Also, this one-time “frosting” will not have any adverse affect on the bulb’s performance in the years to come.

One more quick thing to keep in mind: sometimes bulbs sprout prematurely simply because the weather is unseasonably warm. However, sometimes there are factors we as gardeners create which can cause this premature sprouting. These factors are planting time and planting depth. Be sure that you wait until the weather is cool enough (consistently in the 40′s at night) in the fall to plant your spring blooming bulbs. Use the thermometer as your gauge and not just the calendar…as we all know, weather can be unpredictable and does not always turn cool at the same time every year. Planting your bulbs too early can cause them to then sprout too early. Also, keep in mind that most bulbs should be planted three times their height in depth. For example, if the bulb you are planting is approximately 2″ tall, then the top of this bulb should be covered with approximately 6″ of soil. Planting bulbs too shallow can cause premature growth as well.

Bulbs tend to take care of themselves...sit back and enjoy them!

Hopefully this article will calm some of your fears regarding your eager spring blooming bulbs! The most important thing to remember is that in most cases, nature can take care of itself. As long as your bulbs are planted correctly, your spring garden will be absolutely beautiful!

Until next time,

Have a question for Bridget? Email her at bridget@bulbblog.com.  If Bridget features your question in a blog post, you’ll receive a $5.00 coupon from one of our sponsors Holland Bulb Farms! Congratulations to Tammy for receiving her coupon!