For those of us who live in warmer climes, it can be difficult to grow many bulbed flowers, including irises, tulips, anemones, hyacinths, and crocuses. That’s simply because such flowers require a period of prolonged cold before they’ll bloom the following spring, and the southern extremes of states like Florida, Texas, and California (not to mention all of Hawaii) rarely get that kind of weather. Oh, they’ll come up, all right; but no matter how vigorous the foliage, if you expect flowers, you’re likely to be disappointed.
However, it’s possible to trick your bulbs into thinking they’ve been subjected to a winter cold snap, and it doesn’t require chemical stimulants or anything of the sort. All you have to do is store them in a refrigerator until you’re ready to plant.
If you decide to try this tactic, be sure the bulbs are stored in a mesh bag at temperatures of 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit for at least six weeks (eight is better). They’ll keep for up to 16 weeks safely, but you shouldn’t push it too much further than that. Also, be sure to remove any fruit that you’re keeping in the refrigerator before you store the bulbs there, because most ripening fruit releases ethylene gas, which is deadly to flower bulbs.
When you’re ready to plant your bulbs, take them straight from the refrigerator and get them right into the ground, following normal bulb planting procedure. It’s best to plant them in the coldest part of your winter (generally in late January or early February).
You should be aware that not all bulbed flowers require the cold treatment in order to grow and bloom normally. Oddly enough, bulbs of flowers in the narcissus family (including daffodils) usually only need to be kept dry and relatively cool until it’s time to plant.
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