Autumn gardening - Summer bulb storage

Most summer flowering bulbs should be dug and stored when the leaves on the plants turn yellow. Use a spading fork to lift the bulbs from the ground. Wash off any soil that clings to the bulbs, except for bulbs that are stored in pots. There are exceptions to this rule, for example you should leave the soil on bulbs like achimenes, begonia, canna, caladium, and dahlia. Store these bulbs in clumps on a slightly moistened layer of peat moss, sawdust or sand in a cool place. Only wash and separate them just before planting.

Assuming your bulbs need the soil removed, remember to spread the washed bulbs out in a shaded place to dry. Once they are dry (don't leave them until the frost gets them) ensure you store them away from sunlight in a cool, dry cellar, garage or shed at 60° to 65°F. Before you put them away, inspect all bulbs for signs of disease and keep only large, healthy bulbs that are firm and free of spots.

If you have only a few bulbs, you can keep them in paper bags hung by strings from the ceiling, but you need to store large numbers of bulbs on trays with screen bottoms to prevent rot and disease by ensuring good air circulation. Try to keep the humidity in the storage area as low as possible and never store bulbs where fruit is stored, because the ethylene gas produced by fruit is a potent ripener and will cause your bulbs to fail in their dormant stage.

Do not divide or separate bulbs before storing them, leave that task until you're ready to put them in the ground the following spring.

Storing summer bulb photograph by B~, used under a creative commons attribution licence