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Late order in zone 4b

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Rose Martinson is a brand new member living in St Paul, MN. She could use some advice.

From: ROSE MARTINSON
Subject: arrival

Message Body:

Hello, I do hope this will be appropriate as I am writing this quick note. I am brand new to the society and I am concerned with the arrival of a rather large order that is coming to my home in the next few days. I live in zone 4b and the conditions have been in the low 20s here in Minnesota USA. My concern is as to what I can do with them over the winter to keep them safe. ANY ADVISE IS APPRECIATED. Thanks. Pots and in the garage, refrigerator? or anything else you can think of.

Thanks again, Rosie

2 comments for “Late order in zone 4b”

  1. Hello Rose – I have sent this same information to you via separate email, but I am repeating here in case you see this first.  I am the current president of the Daffodil Society of Minnesota, and was copied on your correspondence with Frank Nyikos, the Executive Director of the American Daffodil Society.  It sounds as if you have a lot of daffodil bulbs coming (or have perhaps already arrived), and you are trying to figure out what to do with them now that winter has arrived here in Minnesota!
    What you do with them depends on which type of daffodils you are working with.  Daffodils are divided into 13 ‘divisions’.  Our Minnesota website has information about the different divisions.  https://daffodilmn.org/showdaff.htm

    One division, Division 8, are tazetta daffodils.  “Paperwhites”, for example, are Division 8s.  Division 8 bulbs do NOT require a cold period, so can be easily ‘forced’ in rocks and water, and will bloom a few weeks after starting.  Paperwhites have a strong fragrance, which some people do not like.  But there are other Division 8s that are not as strong, and work well forced in rocks and water.

    If you are getting bulbs from other divisions, your only real option is to ‘force’ them in pots and soil.  They will not last until next year out of the ground – they will dry out too much over the winter.  As for forcing, pots in a refrigerator are your best bet, kept at about 40 degrees.  Do not let them freeze, so that rules out most garages.  But if the garage never freezes, then that’s an option, too.  The pots would need to be in the refrigerator for a minimum of 13 weeks, preferably 15.  Take a look at the article on the ADS “library” website, but focus on the refrigeration method.  Other methods in the article are not very workable in Minnesota’s climate.  http://dafflibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/Forcing-Bulbs-for-Indoor-Bloom.pdf   There is also information on forcing on the Minnesota website, near the bottom of the referenced page: https://daffodilmn.org/indoorpots.htm
     
    I live over in Golden Valley, and would be happy to discuss this in more detail if you’d like.  I have sent you my phone # by separate email.  The Daffodil Society of Minnesota would welcome you as a member, too.  Feel free to explore our website:  daffodilmn.org    Check out our Facebook page, too:  “Daffodil Society of Minnesota”.
    Margaret Macneale
    President, Daffodil Society of Minnesota

  2. Excellent discussion Margaret. Very good advise. I also received late
    bulbs this year from a provider. I was thinking pots also. However, even
    if it was after Thanksgiving I was able to plant them in the cold, almost
    frozen ground. But, as it is, this past week we had 65F degree weather
    after I planted them. But today we have temperatures in the 20s F.

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