2 questions about bulbs...

[fruit&vegvirgin]

hyacinths - can I plant out indoor ones that have finished flowering straight into the ground or do I let them dry out first?

blind bulbs - just dig them all out, or save a few and replant? I dont know what they are actually, but they smell a bit oniony - could be wild garlic, but they dont do anything just have a mass of thin, bright green leaves.

[Nicos]

I would harden the plants off first. Also...the bulbs may flower next year if you feed them this year.Also may need a bit of watering if the ground is dry.

[fruit&vegvirgin]

thanks nicos - do you mean take them out of their container and leave em on the windowsill or something for a bit? once I plant them in the ground I can feed and water then presumably?

[Nicos]

Leave the hiacynths somewhere frost free but cold for a couple of weeks and just keep them moist.They would have a shock if you put them straight out as the leaves will be tender at the moment.Leave them in their pot until you plant them out. The food made by the leaves will go back into the bulb as it dies back, and if the blind ones are fed too(and watered) then next year they should flower better. You're not growing those spanish bluebells are you??!!!

[fruit&vegvirgin]

spanish pinkbells this time!!! they've been in our porch since xmas, where the temperature range is pretty extreme, so I'll bung em in the back of the coldframe for now.

[Jaxom]

FVV , feed your bulbs Rose food to give them a good larder of food stores ready for next year. The bulbs we plant flower on the food stores from the previous year. After they have flowered the green leaves then start to build up next years stores. Bulbs cant read what’s written on the box so are perfectly happy eating Rose food
Jax

[nick the grief]

a good tip I was told, plant them in the aquatic baskets that you can get for waterlily's & sink this in you're border, then when they've finished flowering don't tie the leaves up or cut them off, lift the basket & move it to somwhere out of the way & look after it there where you won't have to look at green leaves.

[Nicos]

yeh....thats the one problem with daffs that the leaves look nice and green and hide the bare soil once they finish flowering, but after a couple of weeks start to go yellow/brown and flop everywhere. A perfect slug/snail haven.