THE BULBS ARE COMING!
Excerps from the Holland Bulbs Forcing Guide.
Excerps from the Holland Bulbs Forcing Guide.
Three Key Steps on Arrival
Ventilation - The First Step for Many Flower Bulbs
For many bulbs, the first step is ventilation after arrival. If they were transported by ship, they have been in transit for 2 to 4 weeks and need fresh air. Two types of packing materials are widely used: trays (wooden or plastic) and cardboard cartons. The procedures used for ventilation will depend upon the packing material. The easiest system is to use trays, since bulbs are loose and are exposed to the surrounding air. If bulbs have been packed in cardboard cartons, the boxes must be opened. If they are to be stored for weeks, they should be transferred to trays and stacked. The normal rates of air exchange for non-planted bulbs is 18 to 35 c. ft./hr/2000 bulbs.
Inspection - The Second Step for All Flower Bulbs
Inspect all cultivars for mechanically damaged bulbs. These should be immediately discarded. Also inspect samples for serious carryover diseases such as Fusarium for tulips, Penicillium for hyacinths, and Fusarium basal rot for daffodils. Generally, the most important carryover insect is the aphid. If significant problems are identified, notify the bulb supplier immediately!
For tulips, an additional internal physical examination of a few bulbs of each cultivar must be conducted to determine if any damage has occurred to the floral bud during shipping. Also, the exact stage of floral development should be observed during the inspection. Bulbs that arrive in the U.S. in late August or early September will have small floral buds and shoots. At this time, the shoots should be approximately 0.25 inch long. If the bulbs are to be "Precooled", the exact stage of floral development must be checked. The bulbs must have reached or passed Stage "G" of development before they are "Precooled" or placed for 1 to 6 weeks at the "In-Between- Temperature.
Tulip bulbs that arrive in late September or early October should have a fully developed floral bud which is easy to identify. Shoots should be about 1 inch long. Bulbs received at later dates should be more advanced. Often, the shoot tip is visible at the nose of the bulb. When the bulbs are carefully cut in half and shoots exposed, the floral bud can be readily examined. Healthy floral buds will appear pale yellow and the surrounding leaves will be a bright yellow. If the bulbs have been seriously damaged during transport, a browning of the floral parts can be observed. In some cases, the petals will be papery in appearance.
Proper Storage Temperatures and Conditions
The third step is to store bulbs at the proper temperature(s) and conditions prior to planting. If recording thermographs have been used in transport, they should be checked at this time. The precise temperature and storage conditions will vary according to the type of bulb, its market use and the forcing or growing technique to be used. All pre-plant bulb storage rooms should exclude direct sunlight. Artificially lighted rooms should be used. Storage room temperatures should be either monitored by automatic recorders or manually checked on a daily basis.
