When you buy flower bulbs like dahlias and lilies, they are imported from the best growers around the world and treated to the perfect climate and the perfect care. That’s why once you get them you will notice that fewer and fewer will come back year after year. Here are some tips to get keep your favorite flowers returning time after time.
Due to this gradual deterioration when bulbs are left in the
ground, it is best to lift them each year after the foliage begins to yellow. Then, store them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place such as in a basement. This curing, and later planting of larger bulbs, tends to keep blooms at a better quality performance than if they are left in the ground all summer. This is still not a duplicate of growing conditions in Holland or the Pacific Northwest, but will prolong the lives of these flowers, and keep them coming back for many more years.