Do I need to chill my bulbs before planting?

It's the age-old question, do I need to chill my bulbs or not? We put this question to Paul Hoek from NZ Bulbs who says only tulips and hyacinths require any chilling.

And, if your winter has at least five or six frosts you don’t even need to chill them before planting. Don’t start chilling till late March – too early and you will stunt the flower bud development. Chill the bulbs for four to eight weeks in a paper bag in the fridge – not the freezer! And try to keep fruit out of the fridge when you’re chilling bulbs as ripening fruit releases a gas called ethylene which can damage the developing flower bud in the bulb. For more details about chilling, check out this helpful fact sheet from NZ Bulbs