Fact from Fiction: What Does a “Good” Bulb Look Like?
We love them and we know you do, too. Those perfect tidy tulip bulbs with glossy tight jackets. Some varieties always look a little more polished than others. Other times, a variety presents super clean one season and little more…disheveled, shall we say…the next year.
As a bulb supplier who sources hundreds of varieties of bulbs every year, I can tell you that bulbs come in all shapes, colors, and sizes - a lot like people. And if we follow that comparison further. Sometimes they’re clothed, and sometimes they’re naked! (with their bulb jackets or without their bulb jackets)
With a variety of bulb sizes, it’s not unusual to see the largest ones appearing more often without their bulb jackets — they are pushed to fit into the same machines, crates, and boxes that smaller bulbs readily pass through. Their jackets can be shed faster than others. That can also be a result of their growth. Like stretch marks on skin, sometimes the jackets just can’t keep up with bulb growth. They crack and loosen.
But sometimes, smaller bulbs of certain varieties also lose their jackets quickly. It really depends on the variety, the season, and the growing conditions.
Fortunately, whether they have their jackets or not, we see no change in outcome for the flowers. Beautiful flowers can come from less than perfect bulbs, too.
Imperfections from Mechanical Damage:
So what affect does “jacket loss” have? Well— as you might imagine, (if you were bounced through a variety of digging and processing machines without any clothes), they can get a bit dinged up on the outside. Fortunately, that damage is typically just superficial. It’s called light mechanical damage. And it’s nothing to be worried about.
When a jacket is off a bulb, we might see some browning of the white flesh in the areas that are exposed. That is mostly a reaction to the bumpy ride it’s experienced. Again, it’s nothing to be concerned about.
Bulbs in this state may look like they are toasted in some places, like toasted white bread. And they are perfectly fine to grow.
What about mold?
(Above left: opportunistic surface mold on ‘Lambada’ tulip bulbs in a hydroponic tray. Above right: the healthy, normal flowers blooming in the same tray)
The appearance of surface molds on bulbs coming out of storage is not unusual, either. Bulbs are, after all, perishable produce. They require cool temperatures and good ventilation prior to planting. And, if held for long periods of time, they will decay. They’ll decay even faster when their environment is ripe for decomposition (warm, still, and moist….like when they’re sitting in closed boxes indoors).
Prevention of surface mold:
Unpack your bulbs upon arrival to discourage mold development. Bulbs are refrigerated prior to shipping. They’re packed into boxes and sent on a journey that exposes them to different temperatures. Along the way, those temperature changes can cause condensation to build on the bulbs in the boxes. —Like the condensation on a cold glass of water. The increased moisture can spurn the spread of mold.
Should you throw away bulbs with surface mold?
No. Please don’t! These bulbs are generally going to be fine for planting- in soil or in hydroponic settings. We tend to over-analyze our bulbs here in the US. Growers who visit our counterparts in The Netherlands will see a farming culture that is far more accepting of bulb imperfections.
If the mold bothers you, you can wipe it off. Otherwise, you can leave it be. As long as the mold is not on the basal plate (bottom) of the bulb (roots), it is unlikely to have much affect on the outcome of the plant.
Remember: tulips are a very short-run crop. They’re in and out of our grow spaces faster than any other plant we grow. It’s OK if they aren’t the most beautiful bulbs during that brief period.
So what is problematic?
When we’re looking for problem bulbs, we’re looking for bulbs that:
Appear shriveled and very underweight. They might feel almost weightless - very different than nice healthy, heavy bulbs. These bulbs are likely afflicted by fusarium.
Are squishy or smelly.
Appear translucent. (This can be a sign of having been frozen). It is unusual for your bulbs to arrive in the fall with this problem, though, becuase they won’t have been exposed to freezing temperatures along the supply chain. Growers purchasing bulbs in the deep winter months may want to monitor weather patterns and make sure bulbs are not shipped to them through a blizzard. We ship bulbs all winter long and generally the only problems we see with freezing in transport are related to bulbs being stuck in the hands of carriers while their work is stopped due to blizzards. And of course- if you are receiving bulbs in cold weather below zero, be sure to be available to bring them into a warmer place as soon as they arrive.
We hope this helps to clear up some of the misinformation out there.
Let us know is you have any questions. If you are ever concerned about the condition of your bulbs, please contact your supplier upon receipt of them. We would like to hear from you within 3 days of arrival of your product. Send photos/videos to the experts at your trusted supplier so they can help determine which bulbs are just “ugly” versus unhealthy.