Expert: Long Island Gardener - 10/24/2007

Question
I just put together a new flower bed in the front yard last month.  I planted daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, amongst other things.  They are all burried under at least 6 inches of new soil, but I have noticed a few of them are starting to break the surface and sprout.  I am in northern Michigan, in zone 4, but we have not had freezing temperatures yet at all.  Why are they sprouting in the fall, and will this sprouting result in dead bulbs when we start getting hard freezes in the next week or two?

Answer
This Weird Weather is freaking out Bulb Lovers EVERYWHERE, unfortunately.  Doomed?  Those early sprouts have very little chance of blooming successfully this year, but if they make it to Spring WITHOUT sending up a flower spike until scheduled, they can still look terrific.  Reason being that you get ONE (1) shot at flowering when you're a Bulb.  If Winter hits and you DON'T see stalks with the '08 flowers on them, Praise the Lord and expect Bulbs to start anew next Spring '08, and probably do a second round in Spring '09, like nothing ever went wrong.

That's if they DO NOT send up flowers now.

If Weather stays Warm, and they DO bloom, you can figure that THIS IS IT for '08.  Because if they come up now, foliage will eventually freeze and turn to mush, and your Spring Flower allowance will be used up.  So, if it does stay warm enough for Blooms, go ahead and cut them and bring them inside for Global Warming Trend conversations.

Bulbs don't usually all perform this way.  I'd tell you to mulch and slow down their work if it was December or January, but this behavior in October is not going to wait half a year for normal weather.

Those of us who grow Early Spring Daffodils and Early Tulips live with this kind of stress EVERY SINGLE SPRING.  You've got plenty of company.

So to recap:  If the leaves show and then it gets Cold, you're in luck; flowers will probably bloom on schedule, barring further Acts of God.  If the leaves show, then stems, then next Spring's flower buds, cut the stems and bring indoors, and don't expect any more flowers for 2 Spring Seasons.  Don't forget that Bulb leaves need to grow to produce next year's blooms.