How to Preserve Flower Bulbs
Perennial bulb flowers come in both hardy and tender varieties. Most spring bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, are cold hardy and don't require digging and storage for winter. Summer bulbs such as gladiolus or spider lilies cannot survive in frozen ground and must be dug up and preserved through winter, then replanted in spring. Not all tender bulbs are actual bulbs, though they are placed in that category. Some are actually root sections, similar to a bulb; they require the same treatment as tender true bulbs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Allow the foliage to die back naturally in fall or wait until after the first frost to dig up the bulbs. Cut off the dead foliage to 2 inches above ground level using sharp shears.
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Dig around the bulbs, 6 inches from the stem, with a spade. Loosen the soil around the roots. Then lift them out of the soil.
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Wash off any excess soil from all bulb types, except gladiolus, with a hose. For gladiolus, brush off excess soil with your hand.
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Inspect the bulbs and roots for signs of damage or rot. Dispose of cut bulbs or those that have soft spots indicating rot or disease.
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Spread the bulbs out on a sheet of newspaper in a dim, well-ventilated room that is between 60 and 70 degrees F. Dry most bulbs for three days. Dry gladiolus, tigredia and oxalis bulbs for three weeks.
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Fill a paper bag with dry peat moss. Store bulbs in the peat moss in a cool, dry area until replanting in spring.
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Tips & Warnings
Dust bulbs with a fungicide treatment before storage to extend shelf life.
Mark the bag with the bulb variety when storing to avoid confusion at replanting time.
Check the bulbs every four weeks for signs of rot. Dispose of any damaged bulbs so the rot doesn't spread to other bulbs in the bag.
Mice and other pest will eat stored bulbs. Keep the bulbs in an area away from these pests.
