How to Winterize Summer Bulbs in Kansas

Flower bulbs produce a range of summer-flowering plants, including tulips, dahlias, calla lilies, crocuses, lilies and irises. These plants are perennials, and return year after year with the right care. In warm areas like USDA growing zones 9 and 10, the bulbs can stay in the ground year round with no protection. In colder areas like USDA growing zones 5 and 6 of Kansas, where temperatures fall well under freezing in winter, summer bulbs need winter protection. Dig bulbs up after their bloom finishes, and store them over the winter for spring replanting.

Shovel/spade
Box
Topsoil/peat moss

Instructions

- 1
  Dig any summer bulb but daylilies up in summer or fall, after their bloom finishes. All summer bulbs require protection by the time the first frost passes in late September to mid-October. Use a spade to gently remove bulbs from the soil, and pull or cut off old foliage.
- 2
  Lay the bulbs in a safe, dry place and allow them to dry for a week. Lay the bulbs out so that they aren't touching each other during this drying process.
- 3
  Fill a box with topsoil and replant the bulbs for storage, or wrap individual bulbs in peat moss and set them in the box. Make sure that none of the bulbs touch each other directly during storage, as they may rot.
- 4
  Put the box in a dry, sheltered spot where it can sit undisturbed for winter. The box should get temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't water the bulbs during storage, as they're dormant and don't require any support.
- 5
  Move bulbs back to the outdoor garden after last frost, which should fall in mid-May.

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