Expert gardeners here -- what should I do?

[mermaidwannabe]

My Fall bulbs FINALLY arrived, yesterday. Way, way too late! I ordered them at my usual time back in August but the growers have had extreme difficulties getting them to the nursery, who in turn had excessive delays getting them to me. I'm not blaming the nursery, nor the growers. They can't control the weather.

My problem now is, the ground has frozen and I can't plant these this Fall.

How do I store them, and keep them viable, so I can plant them NEXT Fall? I can't plant them in Spring, as they are Fall bulbs. They were never intended to be planted in Spring.

Tulips, Daffodils, Cyclamen and some lavender mountain lilies.

These are new bulbs.

Any suggestions, or should I just give them to someone who lives in a warmer climate?

[SueD]

I am not a gardener... But just brainstorming here. Maybe contact the nursery you got them from or another one near you and ask them for advice. Or, plant them in pots and keep in a cool space like a basement or garage. Then transplant in the spring.

[Boundava]

Both sound like great ideas.

[mermaidwannabe]

Update: We have had a couple of really warm days, and the ground has thawed out. I waited one day, because the soil was still too soggy, but now it's workable -- so, I was able to plant all of my bulbs, after all. It should be interesting to see what comes up next Spring.

[SueD]

Update: We have had a couple of really warm days, and the ground has thawed out. I waited one day, because the soil was still too soggy, but now it's workable -- so, I was able to plant all of my bulbs, after all. It should be interesting to see what comes up next Spring.

Hope you'll share this spring awaking with us.

[mermaidwannabe]

You know I like to share the beauty.

[Ancient]

You know I like to share the beauty.

So any results? Any pics? I'm asking because it gets cold in my area and I need some tips on how to keep plants alive for winter. I'm currently reading this page (https://bumpercroptimes.com/how-to-protect-plants-from-frost-pro-tips/) and I guess I need a ph soil tester now. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[mermaidwannabe]

If you have plants that are hardy for your cold zone, that's the first thing you need to keep them alive over winter.

The main thing that kills new plantings in winter, even the zone hardy ones, is frost heave. That's when the ground freezes, then thaws, then freezes and thaws again. New plants that haven't established deep root systems will heave out of the ground from contraction and expansion.

The way to help prevent that is to apply a thick mulch when the ground first freezes. I use straw -- laying down a layer of it around the new plants, about 1 1/2" to 2" thick. That can be tricky, though, because if the mulch is too thick, it can choke the plants. It should never be applied right up to the base of the plant, but kept away from it a couple inches or so. The idea is to mulch around the plants, not up against them.

I prefer straw, but one can also mulch with layers of old leaves, pine needles or wood chips. These latter can develop fungus beneath them, so there's a downside to using them.

When new growth appears in Spring, and all danger of frost has passed, it's important to remove the mulching materials as soon as possible, so that sunlight can reach down into the newly growing roots.

I soil pH tester is a good idea. Some plants prefer a more acidic soil, others more alkaline, and others more neutral.

The Fall bulbs I've just planted won't bloom until next Spring, so no pictures possible of them, right now.