Help on Growing Bulbs on Balconies

[tweiss]

Hi,
For several years I have been pot planting bulbs on my balcony in the fall, only to discover at Spring time that they have rotted away during winter. I live on a 10th floor.
Toronto Zone 4.
Can anyone give me some advice as how to successfuly grow tulips, daffodiles etc. and/ or what is the best type of hardy bulbs I can buy for spring or even fall blooms.

[Laura]

I read once that when you live "up" you need to plant for a colder zone than the one you are in..

I wonder if your bulbs need more protection,this could be a bigger pot with more soil,or insulation in the pots.

Maybe you should be forcing bulbs instead of planting them up to keep outside all winter.

Since I don't know a lot about bulbs this is just a few things I read .

Good luck.

[Eeyore]

I would suggest that you dig the bulbs up, clean them and store them in some peat in the refrigerator for the winter.

[Laura]

If you want to plant pots of bulbs when should you plant them up for outside . . . after the winter storage of course.

Tulips in pots would be so nice I'm thinkin . . . .Could this only be done inside ?

I don't know a lot about bulbs so sorry for the dumb questions . . . but Tweiss got me thinking about it now . . .

[tweiss]

Thank you for all that replied back.

I have tried forcing bulbs many years ago. However that didn't work too well. Maybe the Bulbs were not the FORCED kind?? If I remember correctly forcing is by way of storing bulbs in the refrigerator aprox 2 -3 weeks in March and then planting them, (in my case) in a pot once the weather is warm/er. Say April??
I have also tried storing bulbs in their own soil inside a paper bag indoors during summer.
I put them in a cabinet, but found out in the fall that they shrivelled up??
However I thank all of you with your suggestions. I am not giving up yet.