[Sara Noel]

I have never moved bulbs, but have tons to move in the yard. At one time an owner of this house planted nice flower beds, but then the previous owner's before us grassed in the beds! Bulbs are just popping out in odd spots now. They so far look a bit like the bulbs might need dividing too.
Ok, there is a point to this post. lol
I'm wondering...I am reading some info online and it says to move bulbs in the fall, but I can't see how moving them now would be bad. They are almost in bloom and I can't picture myself marking where they all are to dig them up in the Fall. I just don't want to move them and make them not bloom a year because I did something wrong. Sooooo, has anyone successfully moved bulbs in spring vs. fall?

**edited to add** this site has great pics of dividing bulbs if anyone else might be doing this and hasn't divided them before:
http://www.homestore.com/HomeGarden/Gardening/Flowers/Bulbs/SNST_Dividing.asp

 

[homesteadmamma]

I too would take the chance and move them now. Even if you have a year without them blooming, if you plant other bulbs (new ones in the fall) with them, you'll still have some blooming next year.

 

[Sara Noel]

That's me too! I want to get things moving! lol If I wait until fall, I can't plant beds this year because these bulbs are all in the prime planting areas. I'll probably take a picture so you can see what these bozos did. lol
You can tell that there were beautiful flower beds, but they grassed them in and then used the plastic edging and made straight border around the house, but only like barely a foot from the house and just mulched in with nothing planted. They did the same around the trees, so I am digging all that out and plan to plant some pachysandra in a nice pattern and then plan some flower beds around that frame.

You know it's bad when all the neighbors come by to introduce themself and comment on the previous owners as neglectful and messy people.

**edited to add** I didn't mean to make the plastic edging sound bad. When done nicely, it looks wonderful and serves a great purpose.

 

[captclearance]

After my Dad passed away a few years ago, my Brother and Sister dug up some of my Mother's prize Iris bulbs and sent them to me. A huge grocery bag full. I planted them and they grew leaves but never bloomed.(I thought this was becauce they were transplanted from California to Illinois) Last summer we were given hundreds of day lilly bulbs from a local garden. We had many different colors. We took a chance and dug up the whole garden and mixed the lilies and the iris'. This year for the first time I have iris blooms. Dozens of them and hundreds of buds. I am so excited. I am no expert on them, I just thought I would share my experience wil them .

 

[milach]

I don't think you need to wait until fall- but I would wait until after they bloom to move them, or else you may not get flowers this season (if that matters to you). Plus if you do it that way- you will know what you're moving- you wouldn't want to plant crocus' behind some daffodils where you probably wouldn't see them. But no, you won't kill the buolbs if you move them now. Good luck!!

Laura

 

[Heather]

I have moved bulbs too in the spring and the only ones that didn't bloom the following year were the tulips. I say go for it!! I am the impatient kind too! When I get it in my mind to do something I want it done "yesterday"!!:smball:

 

[captclearance]

I wanted to say also, i heard that you should not cut off the foliage if it's green...... Only after they have dried and the nutrients have returned to the bulbs.......