Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 7/26/2006

Question

I live in south eastern michigan and we are planning to move into a new house.  I have started a garden at the rented house from where I am moving from.  I would like to know what the best way to move my bulbs from the garden,with the least stress to my bulbs. I would also like to know if you could explain the winter forcing to me.  thank you

Answer
You can dig lily bulbs in late fall after the flower stem die back (turn brown and wither). When you dig the bulbs, make sure you dig a deep, wide hole as the bulbs may have moved since you planted them.

If you move before the stems die back, you can dig the bulbs together with the stem and pot them up. Then transport to new location and plant immediately.

Store the bulbs in well ventilated bags with some barely moist peatmoss sphagnum or seed starting mixtures (available in bags at home depot). The material should not be dry, but not wet/saturated either. It should be damp.

The roots should be covered by the mixture and put in a bag (plastic bag is fine, but do not tie it). Check the bag every few weeks and mix some more water into the material if you need to.

You can then plant the bulbs either this fall or early next year (spring). If you store the bulbs over the winter, then keep them in a fridge (preferably a spare one) at temperatures no higher than 35-37F because they may start to grow in the bag if kept at higher temperatures. If you can plant them this fall (even if late fall) then this is preferred.

Lilies are not easy to winter force and I do not recommended it. Good plants to winter force are tulips and hyacinths. Hyacinths are the easiest and also the ones that gives consistently best results.