How to Dry Garden Bulbs

According to the University of Minnesota, garden bulbs can die when left in the ground over the winter if the region experiences freezing temperatures. Depending on you bulb, you should dig up the bulb after the first frost. However, some bulbs like Peruvian daffodils should be dug up before the first frost. Drying a bulb -- or curing, as it is commonly called -- ensures that the bulbs will be ready to plant in the spring after going into dormancy.

Spade
Garden fork
Hose
Towel
Shoe box
Marker
Fungicide
Paper bag
Sand

Instructions

- 1
  Press a spade 3 to 4 inches away from the base of the plant and 6 inches deep to lift the bulb from underneath. You can loosen the soil with a garden fork to help release the roots and break up the soil.
- 2
  Wash off the bulbs and dry them off thoroughly with a towel. Keep the bulbs grouped in their flower type to know when they need to go back into the soil.
- 3
  Place the bulbs in shoe boxes labeled with their flower bulb type. Keep the bulbs in a cool, dry area that is free of direct sunlight. The temperature in the room should be between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount of time that you need to dry your bulb out depends on the flower type. Callas, cannas, caladiums and dahlias should be dried for one to three days. Bulbs such as gladiolus should be cured for three weeks. Check the label of your garden bulbs to see how long they need to be dried.
- 4
  Dust the bulbs with fungicide. Fungicide will kill any fungal spores and prevent those spores from infecting other plants.
- 5
  Place bulbs either in paper bags or in a shoe box filled with sand until their planting time.

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Bulbs