Spring Bulbs in the South

It is a well known fact that most traditional spring bulbs do not do well in the south. The main problem with spring bulbs in the south is the lack of winter. Most spring bulbs require a good dose of cold winter (as in northern cold) to maintain their perennial nature. Now this does not mean they have to be in permafrost for four months, but it does mean that four weeks of upper 20s will not work. What they need is sufficient cold storage to simulate a winter which is sometimes called stratification.

The trick to growing bulbs in the south for the spring is two fold. First you will need to observe what works well naturally. This includes many daffodils, but not tulips or hyacinths. Plant the daffodils in well drained soil close to the end of the year when cool weather is imminent. If you plant too early they will start to sprout before winter begins. After the first hard frost and when the cold weather has settled, mulch well to keep the bulbs cold and to avoid them sprouting in a sudden warm January spell. Mulching after the cold weather starts also stops mice from disrupting the bulbs, and settling down in the warm mulch.

The treatment for tulips and other bulbs that need cold is similar to the way you would treat frost tender bulbs in the north, but rather than keeping the bulbs frost free you are going to give them extra cold temperatures. Bring the bulbs inside and place them in the refrigerator or freezer in a plastic bag, they will get the required ‘winter’ to bloom in the spring. It is also possible to ‘pre-plant’ the bulbs in a pot with soil, and place the whole thing into a bag and into the freezer. Those bulbs that are in a pot can be brought out of the cold storage after several weeks and they will start sprouting, so if you need daffodils in late January, you will need to pot them up and freeze by late October and bring out in late December. If you want the bulbs to bloom in the garden, pre-dig the whole before the cold weather, and fill will light mulch, reserving the soil in the garage or other frost free place. After freezing the bulbs for several weeks, take the mulch out of the pre dug hole and plant the bulbs in the reserved soil. Top off with mulch. In a few weeks the bulbs will start to sprout and you will get the traditional colors of a northern spring from familiar bulbs in your southern garden.

Clearly it takes effort to grow traditional spring bulbs in the south, but just as in the north when bring in tender bulbs, it is worth the time spent.