11 Bulb Storage Problems to Check For in January

Are you storing your bulbs over winter? Don’t forget to check on them before the new growing season starts. In this article, gardening expert Matt Dursum highlights common bulb storage problems to check for in January.

Tulip bulbs are kept in a cardboard box for overwintering to avoid storage problems.

Contents

If you live in cold regions, many of your favorite flower bulbs should go inside over winter. Cold weather, freezing and thawing soil, and other environmental changes will ruin them outside. Moving them to a dry and safe location inside guarantees you’ll enjoy their blooms the following season. 

Common ornamental plants, including begonias, elephant ears, and dahlias, all need to be dug up and stored away. These plants grow from tender storage vessels each season. To get these magnificent plants to return vigorously, you’ll need to store them correctly and watch for any problems

After digging them up, drying them, and storing them away, it’s easy to forget about them for the next season. However, it’s important to check in on them in January in case they’re suffering from the 11 most common bulb storage problems

Touching Bulbs

The round, flattened gladiolus bulbs with purple-pink skin and thin root clumps are arranged in a plastic storage tray.
Keep them spaced for proper air circulation over winter.

The metaphor, “one bad apple spoils the bunch” applies to more than just apples and people. Your hibernating flower bulbs can spread diseases easily if they’re touching. That’s why it’s important to make sure none of them are in contact over winter. 

You can prevent this by checking them before storing and stashing them correctly during the fall and early winter. Don’t overcrowd them in their storage medium. Give enough space in between to let air flow freely. 

If you find your slumbering bulbs touching, don’t panic. Simply move them to new containers or, if there’s room, move them away from each other. Check on them frequently to make sure there is no spread of disease. 

Rotting

A woman's hand holds a rotting pink teardrop-shaped bulb with dry brown skin.
Inspect carefully to catch hidden diseases before storage.

When you dig up your flowers in late fall or winter, it’s important to check for diseases before storing them away. Sometimes, we miss hard-to-see infections. When you store your slumbering plants away, infections can grow. 

Check each of your plants individually for signs of rot and disease. These diseases include basal rot, bulbous rot, and other fungal, mold, and bacterial infections. Closely inspect each hibernating flower several times in January. Some diseases are hard to spot, so look closely. 

If you find a rotten bulb, discard it away from other plants. Check the entire bunch frequently to make sure it didn’t infect its neighbors. If you find a batch that’s diseased, dispose of them all before the infection spreads. 

Wet Storage Medium 

The paper bag is filled with pressed pallets to absorb moisture, containing large, purple, round, slightly flattened gladiolus bulbs.
Ensure dryness by using wood chips or newspaper for protection.

Storing these hibernating plants away for the winter doesn’t mean everything will stay dry. Sometimes, even dry places can have moisture buildup, especially if there are leaks or heavy rains. 

Your storage medium should remain dry. The best moisture-wicking mediums include vermiculite, wood chips, or even newspaper. These materials absorb moisture and keep your bulbs dry and protected during their dormant phase. 

If you notice your medium is absorbing moisture, change it out with clean materials. Make sure there’s space between your slumbering plants to prevent the spread of disease. 

Temperatures Are Too Warm

Close-up of neat rows of tulip bulbs with brown, dry skins and small, pale green sprouts emerging from the tops.
Ensure a cool resting place to prevent fungal growth.

Warm temperatures signal to your flowers that it’s time to wake up. It will also be more inviting for fungi to spread. These are two problems you definitely don’t want!

Most bulbs prefer to rest in inside spaces between 40-45°F (4-7°C), and hot temperatures can cause problems during storage. Some corms, such as gladiolus, prefer even colder spaces between 35 and 45°F (2-7°C). 

Warm temperatures can affect basements and even garages. Check for faulty heaters or leaks that could raise the temperatures. There may be warm temperatures in the winter that heat your indoor spaces. Check in January to monitor the average temperature and move your storage to a cooler space if needed.

Temperatures Are Too Cold

Close-up of yellow and pink gladiolus corms with flat, disc-like shapes and a textured, scaly surface in a cardboard box.
Insulated spaces help prevent frost from damaging your plants.

In cold northern regions in the U.S., winter can get brutal. Even in a garage or inside of a home, temperatures can drop suddenly. When this happens, your bulbs could be exposed to frost or even deep freezes that can cause major problems in storage.

In my home in Northern Michigan, we have to be extra careful with if we store plant material in the garage. Some people store them in the basement or even an outdoor shed with insulation

Freezing temperatures can create frost damage, which freezes the inside cells of the plant’s tissue. The ice expands and significantly damages the plant tissue. When this happens, it can severely harm or kill your bulbs. 

Humidity is Too High

Close-up of dry gladiolus bulbs with a rounded, flattened shape, covered in a dry husk and speckled with soil residue.
Store in cool, dark places with controlled humidity levels.

Depending on where you store them, humidity levels can play a big part in keeping them healthy. Humid spaces invite bacteria and fungi growth. Humidity also moistens the storage medium, making it even more attractive to spreading microbes. 

You can check humidity levels with a hydrometer. Some humidity is ok, but it should remain around 50%

Only store your modified flower roots in a cool, dark place with low humidity. These ideal spaces include:

  • Utility rooms
  • Basements
  • Unheated and uninsulted garage
  • Cellar
  • Exposed attic
  • Outdoor tool shed

Decay

A woman places dahlia tubers with knobby, irregular shapes and rough, brown skin into a plastic container filled with vermiculite, with another container of vermiculite and a spatula nearby.
Ensure containers have ventilation to prevent moisture and decay.

Decay is one of the most common problems for overwintered plants. One of the main culprits is airtight containers. Without air circulation, the container’s inside becomes moist, creating the perfect environment for decay. 

Check that each container has proper ventilation and air circulation. Avoid packing your bulbs into a tight space where airflow is restricted. 

Store your bulbs above the ground on shelves so air can flow around them. This also keeps them from getting damp if there’s any moisture buildup on the ground. 

Pest Infestations

Close-up of tiny, translucent bulb mites crawling on a rotten, decaying flower bulb with discolored, soft tissue.
Keep them clean and dry to avoid pest infestations.

There’s nothing worse than returning to your bulbs in spring and finding an infestation of pests! When this happens, you’ll probably have to dispose of your infected bulbs or spend hours cleaning them with a neem oil solution. 

Pest infestations can happen if you don’t clean your bulbs properly before storing them away. Always remove soil, rotten leaves, and any dead material around them before putting them in hibernation for the winter. 

Some common pests include aphids and bulb mites. These pests will eat the plant tissue and expose it to nasty diseases and infections. By cleaning your bulbs before storing them and keeping the air temperature low, you’ll eliminate the risk of pesky infestations. 

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Poor Storage Medium

A plastic container filled with soft sawdust, holding knobby, irregularly shaped Gloriosa tubers with rough, brown skin and pointed ends.
Monitor your medium and replace it if needed.

Proper winter storage includes using layers of coconut coir, peat moss, vermiculite, sand, and sawdust for storage. Without the right storage medium, these underground storage units will dry out and become unhealthy. 

Check the condition of the medium in January to make sure it’s not absorbing moisture. Have extra on hand just in case you have to replace it. 

There are a lot of mediums to choose from. Having the right medium can prevent the most common bulb storage problems. Below are a few mediums you can use. 

Cedar chips

Cedar chips do a great job of keeping your bulbs dry by wicking up moisture. They also excel at keeping spaces for airflow. They provide a cost-effective and highly efficient medium for most bulbs.

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a mineral that’s common in many potting soil mixes. It provides plenty of airflow and stays sterile, even after absorbing moisture.

Straw

Garden straw is another good option for storing your bulbs. It absorbs moisture and stays clean during the winter. When you’re done, you can compost it or add it directly to your garden soil.

Labeling Mistakes

A plant pot filled with soil holds freesia bulbs with smooth, round shapes, and a labeling stick with the bulb's name rests on the soil.
Keep labels secure and detailed for easy spring identification.

One of the most important storage tips is labeling your storage containers so you know what you’re planting in spring. Include everything about your plants, including the cultivar, age, and impressions of last season. 

One of the most annoying problems is when labels come off or become damaged. This can happen easily, especially if the storage area is moist. Marker pigments and tags can rub off or adhesive labels can fall to the ground. 

In January, make sure your labels are secure, detailed, and easy to read. Add new labels and keep everything organized. Record everything in a notebook just in case and stay organized for the following growing season. 

Monitor for Animals

Dry tulip and hyacinth bulbs with papery skins lie on craft packaging paper, surrounded by dry moss.
Store bins off the ground to keep animals away.

These modified flower roots are full of water and carbohydrates which some animals find irresistible. If you live in an area with deer, rabbits, and other small critters, you’ll have to make sure they don’t get into your bulbs. 

In January, check for animals who may be hiding away in your basement or garage. If you have visitors, look for openings where they can get in. 

Keep your storage bins raised above the floor on shelves. Secure your bins with lids that let air in but keep animals out. 

Key Takeaways

Storing tender bulbs for the winter is the best way to enjoy your delicate flowers during the next growing season. Storage keeps them safe and away from freezing temperatures, pests, and diseases

By following a few steps and checking on them in January, you’ll prevent common bulb storage problems. By spring, your flower bulbs will be ready for planting and healthy. 

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