Spring bulbs poking out of ground in November?

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Hello Friends.

I was looking for some insight into a curious happening that has been taking place in my outdoor garden over the past couple of years.

I have a few spring bulbs, mostly Hycanthins (sp) that i notice starting to grow in late November. Here where i live in the upper Northeastern US, this is usually in the midst our our cold and snowy winters! It amazes me as to why these particular bulbs decide to start popping out of the ground NOW...intead of the usual time here in early March.

I do not use any heavy fertilizers but i have moved them from year to year thinking that the heat vent from the laundry dryer connected to my house was heating the ground up and causing them to *pop up * so early. They are visable as bright green beginnings...but grow no larger then an inch and then remain still the rest of the winter. In early March when the first real early spring bloomers appear, these see movement again and by late March they are fully developed and blooming.

So i am wondering what is triggering this seemingly early poking out of the ground by these particualr plants? Does anyone else experience this?
All my other spring bulbs stay below ground with no movement until early March.

Many thanks for any insights.

 

It's February now...pretty close to March and it's been a mild winter.

 

My reference material suggests to move the bulbs away from dryer vents and house foundations, sounds like you've done that. One cause of fall sprouting could be the depth of the bulbs, the tops of the bulbs should be about 5" below the surface. You may be able to prevent the problem next fall by applying a winter mulch once the temperatures begin to drop, or after the ground freezes. A layer of evergreen boughs or marsh hay will help keep the soil cold during warm spells, and can protect the exposed plants that may still sprout anyway. The references say to only apply a light fertilizer when growth starts in spring (not fall). Hope some of this helps.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

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Thank you Poor Old Dad..your info helps clarify some things i thought might be the problem.

It could be them not being planted deep enough. When i buy bulbs for tulips and other spring bloomers, it is usually the potted variety one finds at their local grocery store florist, or garden shop. Once i enjoy the plant indoors and the foliage finally fades, i usually plant them in the garden at the same depth it was planted in the pot. Perhaps i should try a little deeper instead?

Also..your note about using a winter mulch made me realize that this too may be the reason. I stopped doing a leaf-cover in the late Autumn a few years ago, going for the neat and tidy year round approach. I have noticed some drawbacks associated with doing the no-cover approach ( very dry soil conditions, exposed elements, etc) and i just might decide to go back to my previous ways. I used to leave a decent cover of leaves over the main garden all winter and only removed them when the spring crocus bloomed.

Many thanks again for your response!

:daisy: