checking stored summer bulbs
A couple of times during the winter, remember to check on the summer bulbs that you’ve stored in your basement to make sure they’re not drying out or rotting. Check the temperature — it should be around 45 to 50 degrees. Pull out a few bulbs to see if they’re moist enough. Bulbs that have dried out and are starting to shrivel need to be misted with water. The gladiolus bulb on the left is too dry and will have to be thrown away. Click on the photo for a larger version.
Soft, rotten spots often happen where a bulb was damaged as it was dug up. The dahlia on the right is too rotten to be saved — discard it. Clear out the peat moss that was touching the bulb in the storage container and replace it with fresh packing material so the rot doesn’t spread to other bulbs.
Be sure to peek in on your bulbs at least once more before spring.
