Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 7/5/2006

Question
I am in zone 4.  Over the years I have planted 100's of daffodil/narcissus bulbs of many varieties and have loved them (and the deer have not!)  Now, some of the beds, which also had other perennials growing, as well as weeds, need some major cleaning up.  It is now July.  How can I handle these bulbs?  How can they be saved if they are dug up?  Thank you!

Answer
Dig up the bulbs and sort them by size. Plant the larger sizes and discard the miniature ones (will take several years to bloom).

The bulbs will not be damaged by this. In fact, digging and dividing every 3-4 years will be beneficial to the bulbs.

If you replant immediately (within a few days), the bulbs should not grow prematurely. Store bulbs dry and cool and out of direct sunlight. If you need to store the bulbs for a long time, it is recommended to put the bulbs in a cooler to limit dehydration but they must also be kept dry (fridge in onion sack) and then plant after soil has cooled (october).