Not every flowering bulb can be planted in your garden

Q. If I purchase flowering bulbs and plant them outdoors, will they come back next year?

A. It's that time of year where we gardeners are getting anxious to see signs of spring and begin our labor of love in the garden. It's also the time of year when you start seeing lots of forced bulbs like tulips, daffodils and crocus in full bloom in your neighborhood grocery stores and nurseries. And, if you're like me, you often purchase one of these forced bulb containers to add a touch of spring to your home.

The question is - can you then plant these bulbs in your garden and expect them to bloom next spring?

Some bulbs, like tulips, that have been forced into bloom do not perform exceptionally well in the garden. This is because they use up so much of their energy being forced to bloom early.

Daffodils, hyacinths and crocus, however, will generally fair well if planted in the garden after having been forced. I recommend you let the foliage from your forced bulbs die back without removing any of the foliage as it offers nutrients to the bulb. Leave the bulbs in the container and set them in a cool, dry place for the rest of spring and summer. As fall approaches, uproot the bulbs from the container and plant them in the ground as you would any other flowering bulbs. Because these bulbs were previously forced, I recommend you add some bulb boosting fertilizer to your soil to give the bulbs a burst of energy.

Be patient as some forced bulbs may take time to bloom in the garden.

- Wendy Reiner

• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines. Call (847) 298-3502 or email northcookmg@gmail.com.