I debated whether to buy bulbs this year because I have a long history of them still being in bags in February and looking like this in June.
Not to mention that I’ve already spent most of the summer dealing with bulbs. I mean, I was still enduring tulips in July and looking past faded foliage in August and enjoying dried stems in September, so it was really easy to find where they were buried when I decided to yank them all up in October so I could plant them in a better spot “this fall.” That left me with a 5-gallon bucket of bulbs from last year, so did I really need more? Apparently I did.
I ordered from John Scheepers for the first time this year. I know it sounds ridiculous to order my bulbs from Connecticut—about as far across these United States as you can get from Seattle—when Washington Bulb Company could’ve pretty much just tossed them to me over the county line from La Conner, WA (bulb capital of the Pacific Northwest and home of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival). But Scheepers had the nicest catalog and Website, plentiful info about the different bulb varieties, and their photos seemed color-true (unlike some catalogs that have a strange magenta glow). So I decided to reward my totally pleasant shopping experience by giving Scheepers my hard-earned dollars. You know, the way people used to do business.
The day I placed my order, a nice lady even called me—yes, called me on the phone instead of sending email—to ask if I wanted early delivery of my bulbs so I could chill them because on first-glance at the USDA horticultural map, I appear to live in Zone 8A, but if you squint real hard (and don’t want 200 tulip bulbs in your fridge for two months), it’s actually more like Zone 7B.
Given my history with getting bulbs in the ground, I tried to be reasonable about the size of my order this year. Of course, in my first giddy gallop through the catalog, I circled every flower that had a petal. That hypothetical order totaled out at a mortgage payment. So I waited a few weeks until the NEW! RARE! MUST-HAVE! LIMITED QUANTITY! bulbs (that I really wanted) were sold out. That only got the total down to a car payment. So I made one last pass and chose only the bulbs I’d want at my funeral (and a couple I wanted to try before then). It was a little morbid but it came in at a winter utility bill, and I could live with that.
Pretty much as soon as I hit the Submit Order button, my bulb enthusiasm evaporated and I began to dread receiving them. There were a joyous few weeks of peace, waiting for the autumn chill to descend upon Zone 8A/7B. Then one fateful day, I received e-mail announcing that the big-ass box had shipped. I felt like I’d gotten an IRS audit notice. Every morning, I clicked that evil little UPS tracking number and watched with horror as the big-ass box was arrival and departure scanned in a dozen states and made its way toward Washington. Next year, I’ll see if there’s a delivery method slower than Standard Ground. Wagon Train, maybe.
So the big-ass box is on the front porch, where the UPS man left it last week. Despite the dire warnings to UNPACK IMMEDIATELY, I haven’t touched it … because then the work really begins. Check back with me in February. It may still be out there.
Wish I lived closer, I’d help you plant all those lovely bulbs!! My motive is somewhat selfish…I love planting new bulbs, love the anticipation of their first bloom, and, most importantly, I’d be helping to guarantee I’d get to see beautiful pictures of them here next Spring/Summer. Good luck with that taunting box!
Careful what you wish for. The UPS man just may be visiting you.
Wagon train, that made me laugh. I do this too. If I plant them, the cats dig them up. My favorite part of having cats.
No bonemeal for me or the dogs dig them up. But I wouldn’t have expected that from cats.
Yeah, do unpack right away. I waited 3 days and got mold on almost every bulb. I’ve planted 150, but you know that already. Maybe we’ll both have a bunch sitting around in February, but I hope not for both of us. I’ll make a deal with you, I’ll get up out of my comfy chair and leave my nice warm house and go out into the cold if you will. Deal? I didn’t think so.
You must’ve known I just poured a fresh cup of coffee. LOL
I finally had to open the box because there were some tulips in there for Lornet that I need to send before her soil freezes.
Glad you got around to the tulips for Lornet. That way I will get to see them in the Spring too. Uncle planted about 50 before we headed south.
That big-ass box looks scary to me. Many years ago I ordered from a company and planted hundreds of bulbs. My back ached for weeks but I was proud of myself. THEN, came a torrential rainstorm for days, and my bulbs were gone. Didn’t see much in the spring from my hard work. Might have had something to do with not planting them correctly, I’ll never know.
Hi Sorrygardener! Thanks for remindidng! I have several bulbs getting soft in the garage, will try to plant them today. I told Breck’s about one rotten bulb, and they sent me 6 for replacement. I wish they sent only one. I am impressed with your order. Squirrels help me to keep my orders pretty small. I want to thank you for your recent comment on my blog. It helped me to finish my vegetable garden post. Happy bulb planting!