Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 8/13/2006

Question
I live in Colorado Springs, CO - probably zone 4-5.  I just bought some tulip bulbs and I assume it is too early to plant.  The directions for storage are a cool dry place.  Is the refrigerator too cool, not dry enought?  I have air conditioning and keep the house in the low 70's.  Is that too warm?
Any help you can give me will be appreciated.  

Answer
Plant tulips in the ground after the temperatures cool. In your area, it would be October. I like to plant after first mild night frost (don't wait until a hard freeze, but atleast until first frost).

You can store the bulbs in the fridge (preferred) but make sure ventilation is good (onion sack) and keep fresh fruit and cut flowers out as these may give off ethylene gas which will sterilize the flower which is already formed inside the bulbs.

If you can not store in the fridge, then store as dry and as cool as you can.