summer bulb storage

Hannon othonna@gmail.com
Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:29:54 PDT
Gastil,

I agree wholeheartedly with Leo about storing bulbs undisturbed in the
soil. Unless there is reason for inspection-- suspected pests, disease,
propagation (division) needs, etc., then leave them be until late summer or
fall. I once unpotted all my lachenalias and put them in packets, shaded
and away from heat, only to find that by planting time root mealy had
spread through most of them-- which would not have been so easy for them if
they had stayed in their protective soil mantle.

Usually my bulbs stay in the same pot/soil for several years and I don't
need the extra work of repotting annually. The mix is very sandy with lots
of pumice, maybe 10-15% organic matter, so it lasts a long time before
needing replacement. All the winter growers get covered with shade cloth
through the summer to keep them cooler.

Cheers,

Dylan Hannon

On 28 June 2012 08:51, Gastil <marygastil@yahoo.com> wrote:

> How are winter-growing bulbs best stored in summer? All top growth is dry
> now and Im about to begin digging up or un-potting corms and bulbs. Some I
> am digging up just to photograph them.  Others need to be spread out from
> too-thick clumps. Is it ideal to re-plant or re-pot as soon as possible and
> leave in dry soil until autumn? Or is it better to store them in a
> cardboard box filled with wood shavings, vermiculite, or some other packing
> material, or without packing material? I have an over-abundant supply of
> wood shavings. (My husband makes furniture.) I read in 'Buried Treasure'
> how bulbs are stored in a shed but I wonder if that was only to keep them
> dry or away from critters. There is little chance of any rain here (just
> dew) and I keep critters out with wire mesh. Summer temperatures here are
> mild, rarely above 85 F. Not too humid nor too dry. If left in the ground,
> is a mulch recommended? Is it better to leave the dry leaves and stalks on
> the
>  surface for insulation or better to clear those away? I would like to
> hear others' experience with summer storage.
>
>
> - Gastil
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