I would like Tulips next spring and have a big barrel that I would like to use, I will treat the barreled tulips like annuals. I was wondering should I plant the bulbs in the barrel now, just like as if I were planting them in the earth or put the bulbs in the freezer some time early next year and then plant them in the barrel???? Thanks!

Hey Kitty!

According to this article, you should store the tulip bulbs in your refrigerator crisper (veggie drawer) until you are ready to plant them.

If you are going to have the barrel outside, what I read suggests you plant them when temperatures start dropping to 55 to 60 F where you live.

If you are going to have the barrel in like the garage or something, you can wait until a few weeks before you are going to bring it outside in the Spring to start the bulbs (assuming your garage is heated).

I hope this helps!

Cool, thanks MTT...the barrel will be outside, I was going to wait until spring to fill it with dirt then plant the bulbs, but I may as well use the dirt thats still in there from this summers geraniums and plan the bulbs..it is anywhere from the 50'-70's during the day and at night we have had frost. Thanks!!

You're welcome!

Just a thought--because the barrel is above ground and won't therefore provide the same insulation to the bulbs as they'd have in the Earth, it might be a good idea to wrap the barrel. There are products for this--you can probably ask at Home Depot or True Value and they can help.

If you have the room Kitty, another thought would be to plant your bulbs in the dirt in the container and dig a hole large enough for the container to fit into in the ground in some corner of your yard. This way, they will begin to grow as if they were planted, they won't get frostbite and you can lift it up and move it to where you need for it to go.

Oh wait...on second thought - - where is "Utopia"?? The temps you mention - - this is ALL winter?????

LOL, the temps in winter can get very cold, Utopia isn't what it used to be!!!

If you plant them now, they will be fine. I ended up (after all) planting some tulips in a barrel and they did come up in the spring. Be sure to space the tulips real close together. Mine were too far apart and I had to go out and buy more flowers to fill in the bare spots. (lots of bare spots LOL) Just watch out for squirrels! They try to dig the bulbs up.

see here about planting in a barrel

Great Minds

Any bulbs planted in containers need more protection than those in the ground.

see here