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All pots of bulbs frozen. Are they dead.?
I planted bulbs in containers only 2 weeks ago and forgot to move them somewhere sheltered. They are completely frozen now. Will they die?
- 21 Dec, 2009
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Answers
I have many pots of bulbs in an unheated greenhouse, in frames and just under some sort of shelter. All will be frozen solid by now. I don't intend to do anything about it now, except hope that they will be OK :-).
My pots get frozen evey winter and the last two have seen serious episodes of the freeze. Some of my bulbs will die but most will not. I expect my crocus, daffodils, tulips etc will be OK. Of the 'hardy' bulbs that I grow in pots I find the Hooped Petticoat type to be the most vulnerable. Trumpet daffodils are much more resilient.
If you want to move the bulb potsd, Guest, I would suggest putting them in the garden shed with no heating at all until this cold snap has passed. I would not take them into the house and try to thaw them out artificially.
Don't worry, they will be OK.
21 Dec, 2009
When you think about it the bulbs in the ground are in frozen soil too... and we don't worry about those - at least I don't! I fret more about plants in pots than bulbs.
21 Dec, 2009
Most bulbs indeed most hardy plants utilise a type of plant antifreeze that they synthesize to stop cell damage.
21 Dec, 2009
My bulbs are all frozen solidly in the ground all winter as our freeze goes down at least 6" most winters. Unless they are tender bulbs they will be fine. A bigger problem will be if the soil is soggy once they dry out....at that point they may rot....keep the soil dry or if it is soaked when they thaw I would re-pot with dry compost.
22 Dec, 2009
It is unlikely that the freeze here will last for more than a few days - a maritime climate ensures that the weather changes with remarkable regularity! That said last January an area of our garden was frozen for over a month and every last bulb survived. The bulbs in pots will not take that long a period of freezing though which is why the ones in the greenhouses are covered in fleece.
22 Dec, 2009
We lose more pots than bulbs in freezing weather. I fleece them to stop the pots exploding. The bulbs can take their chances.
22 Dec, 2009
Gilli's answere reminds me that as well as being frozen the pots are probbaly covered with snow. When the thaw comes next week (positive thinking) the snow will melt first but the compost in the pots will still be frozen. This melted snow will form a pool of water on top of the pots that can't seep away so make sure that you pour the water off to stop the compost getting too wet.
22 Dec, 2009
Daft as it seems, often the problem with an extended period of freezing conditions for plants is drought. When the soil is frozen solid, there is no free water for them and even when dormant they need a little. Trouble is when it unfreezes the poor plants get a massive amount of water just when they are in the worst condition to receive it. When we moved here we brought 1,000's of plants with us in pots. Before we could even get the greenhouse or tunnel up, it froze and stayed frozen for months. Many of my plants died, as we discovered, from lack ot water.
22 Dec, 2009
Agree Owdboggy - lack of water due to frost is a big problem with plants, we nearly lost a Crinodendron due to a frost that lasted a month, but should not be such a problem with bulbs
22 Dec, 2009
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They'll probably be fine but move them somewhere they can defrost gradually, so not a very hot room, but inside somewhere. When the soil is no longer frozen, move back outside, and protect if weather continues to be very cold. Better if the soil in the pots isn't sodden - the less moisture in the soil, the less likely they are to freeze. If this cold continues, keep close to the house, southfacing area, wrap pots in bubble wrap or similar
21 Dec, 2009