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  • #1

    Escaping bulbs

    The indoor hyacinths and paperwhite bulbs that I planted a week ago are trying to escape their pots!

    I went to water them today and found that one of my pots of hyacinths (City of Haarlem) had a little blue mould on the bulbs so just tried to rub it off them, watered them, replaced their plastic covers and returned to our garage. My second pot (Woodstock) appeared to be lifting themselves out of their pot and the bulb bottoms were above the soil. So..I just pulled them out of the bulb compost and repotted them.

    Similiarly some of my Paperwhite bulbs, planted in a variety of containers but all planted in bulb fibre appeared to be doing the same. They are also in my garage but with no black plastic. I just replanted them too.

    So, why is this happening? Is there any point replanting or should I just discard those pots with the unruly roots? Is the blue mould on my hyacinths going to be a problem?

    Any answers gratefully received.
    SkyeSonia
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  • #2
    Maybe they weren't planted deep enough? or should I say, the pots weren't deep enough?
    Last edited by veggiechicken; 29-10-2018, 07:47 PM.

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    • #3
      It has been cold,mine were in the shed once,it was freezing cold & one uprooted itself & was laying on the surface with frozen hard roots,like it was trying to escape. The compost was a hard block,I watered with warm water to manipulate the compost so I could pop it back in,I think they just get cold have you got some bubble wrap or something like a box to help insulate it,although it’s pretty difficult to keep things from freezing out there,just a matter of checking them after a cold night & keeping them in the dark for now,good luck with them all!
      Location : Essex

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      • #4
        Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post
        Maybe they weren't planted deep enough? or should I say, the pots weren't deep enough?
        I was wondering this, the hyacinth bowls I bought looked the same dimensions as similar ones I've been given in the past. Some of the paperwhite narcissi that were 'escaping' were in quite deep troughs though...I didn't really plant them deeply, more or less just pushed them into the soil up to their shoulders. If it happens again next week, I might replant them deeper.
        Thanks for responding
        SkyeSonia

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Jungle Jane View Post
          It has been cold,mine were in the shed once,it was freezing cold & one uprooted itself & was laying on the surface with frozen hard roots,like it was trying to escape. The compost was a hard block,I watered with warm water to manipulate the compost so I could pop it back in,I think they just get cold have you got some bubble wrap or something like a box to help insulate it,although it’s pretty difficult to keep things from freezing out there,just a matter of checking them after a cold night & keeping them in the dark for now,good luck with them all!
          Thank you, I will try as you suggest. The garage does get pretty cold - I might replant, if necessary and then bubble-wrap. I'd like to be able to grow at least one decent pot of plants, so it looks as though I will have to give them a little bit more care.
          Thank you for your suggestion
          SkyeSonia

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          • #6
            Originally posted by SkyeSonia View Post
            I was wondering this, the hyacinth bowls I bought looked the same dimensions as similar ones I've been given in the past. Some of the paperwhite narcissi that were 'escaping' were in quite deep troughs though...I didn't really plant them deeply, more or less just pushed them into the soil up to their shoulders. If it happens again next week, I might replant them deeper.
            Thanks for responding
            SkyeSonia
            By pushing them in, you may have compressed the bulb fibre beneath which has expanded since you've watered it and is pushing the bulbs up.
            Try part filling the bowls, put the bulbs in position and top up around them with bulb fibre.

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            • #7
              Hi Skyesonia, I've had the same problem in the past. My bulbs were always in the dark in a hall cupboard, so cold wasn't the problem. I never got to the bottom of it, but like veggiechicken's suggestion that compressed compost may be the problem. I have paperwhites to plant, better get on with it!
              Mostly flowers, some fruit and veg, at the seaside in Edinburgh.

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              • #8
                Its probably just physics, if the upward thrust of the roots is greater than the friction force of the compost holding the bulbs in, then the bulbs will move upwards, otherwise, the roots would move down. Happens to me with onion sets sometimes.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Mark_Riga View Post
                  Its probably just physics, if the upward thrust of the roots is greater than the friction force of the compost holding the bulbs in, then the bulbs will move upwards, otherwise, the roots would move down. Happens to me with onion sets sometimes.
                  Thanks for your reply. I think I was a bit 'wimpy' in planting the bulbs - more like pressing them into the soil firmly rather than planting.

                  However....I did replant and also did all the stuff suggested above - wrapping in bubblewrap etc and am pleased to say that it appears to have worked!

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                  • #10
                    Update on Escaping bulbs

                    Many thanks for all your suggestions - they all seemed to have helped.

                    In fact...so much that my narcissi 'Paperwhite' originally intended as Christmas gifts, are now in the process of blooming beautifully. I was a bit worried as I didn't plant them till mid October, so perhaps, next year I'll leave it until November to plant them. On the upside my house smells wonderful.

                    My hyacinths are growing rather more sedately, variety Woodstock are looking really good - all three bulbs at the same height and have started to green up. Variety City of Haarlem are less good but all have shoots, although not as good as Woodstock. I can see Woodstock being given as a gift - but I may have to keep Haarlem - at least (hopefully), I'll have something that smells nice, to replace my Paperwhite, once they have finished blooming.
                    Thanks to all

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