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Potted bulbs are starting to sprout #782499
Asked February 23, 2022, 3:34 PM EST
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Dear Andrea,
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YOUR QUESTION #0052430:
Potted bulbs are starting to sprout
I planted 5 large pots with daffodil and muscari bulbs in November, with the hopes of putting them outside when the weather warms up. I've been keeping them in a dark cold closet in my basement (temps in the 40s), but they're already sprouting! I don't have a ton of room for them inside, but I could make some. Will they bloom indoors with moderate sunlight? The back of our house faces south and gets quite warm during sunny days, but I worry about them freezing overnight. What can I do to save them?Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions across the United States.
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Thanks for the question.
If they are now sprouting and you potted them last November, it indicates that they have gone through their time of dormancy and are now raring to go. If you now put them in a place where they would be exposed to freezing temps for any length of time, there is a high risk that the growing plants will die. At this point I would suggest that they be brought inside, exposed to room temperatures, and with as much light as possible. Do not give the plants any fertilizer as the existing bulb will provide sufficient amounts of nutrients. I’m pretty sure that they will continue to grow. Most likely some flowers will develop though maybe not a whole bunch. These plants will not die inside. Once the outside temperatures stay above freezing at night, transplant them outside to a location having a good southern exposure. Do NOT cut them back after you transplant them. Your larger objective is for these plants to have strong growth during the 2022 growing season so they will produce good growth during the 2023 season. Be sure to leave the bulbs in the ground over the 2022-23 winter.
Good Luck!!
