bluebell question

[bmpsands]

We have been given a pond! OH and friend have dug out the hole, settled it in, got the pump working etc.

I'm left with half a bucket of bluebell bulbs. They are drying in the polytunnel but then what? Can I store them in there and plant them later in the year? The area where I want them to go isn't clear yet and it seems a shame to dig up the plants that are in there for the summer.

Your advice please?

[Mo]

If they've still got leaves on I'd probably put some soil in a box and put them in until the leaves have died down. Once the leaves are dead the bulb is dormant and you can leave them out of the ground till autumn. (well, that's my guess, unless someone knows better)

[elliebear15]

I agree, keep them in a pot of soil until they die down, then you can dust off the soil and leave them in a cool dry place until you are ready to plant them out some time over the winter.
But equally you could just plant them somewhere in your garden to be going on with and just move them whenever you are ready in the future.
I don't think it would matter if you moved them when they are flowering, as long as you take plenty of earth with the roots.
My MIL has lots of bluebells in her garden and complains that they are very vigorous and hard to kill - once you have some she reckons you'll end up with loads - too many!

[bmpsands]

Elliebear - your MiL is right. We have/had far too many. The ones I'm moving had died down so I'm storing them but won't mind if I lose a few. They'll be added to the ones that are staying put and I'll try to confine them to one area of the garden.

[kitla]

What you do is put them in a big flower pot of earth, then in the autumn you find
them and cant remember what they are! I do it all the time!

[elliebear15]

That sounds like the basis of my whole gardening philosophy Kitla ...