How do I plant blue anemone bulbs?

Is it important to wait to plant flower bulbs until it is consistently cold or does it really matter?

• I bought some allium bulbs and the instructions say to plant when the weather is consistently 60 degrees or lower. I have a situation where I can either plant them now with the weather going back and forth between lows around that temperature and higher (expected to the 80's next week) or I will have to wait an entire month because I am not going to be available to plant them. I'm not sure what the temps will be then. I am in zone 5. I personally would rather plant them and get them in the ground, but considering the words on the instruction packet, is it better for them to just sit waiting until another month has passed and cooler temps have arrived? Should they be in the refrigerator to store or just left out at room temp, in that case?

• Answer:

  In nature, bulbs depend on cold temperatures to start their clock. After the leaf fades away in the summer the bulb lies dormant. The cold exposure sets the beginning of the reproductive cycle. As temperatures rise in the spring, flower growth begins. After the flower comes the leaf to rebuild the bulb. The leaf needs to remain exposed to sunlight while this happens. Bulbs can be forced into blooming by artificially exposing them to cold for several weeks. This can be done in your refrigerator, for instance. Then, when the bulbs are exposed to the relative warmth of your home, they will begin blooming when watered. If the bulbs you bought this year have been stored in a relatively cool climate, they might begin growing this fall if the soil temperature is warm. This would deplete the bulb and deny the leafs rebuilding process due to the cold. Don't store them in the fridge if you intend to plant them outdoors. They can be planted into cold soil. It's better to wait.