Just about everyone has planted bulbs in the fall for spring flowering.

Daffodils, tulips and crocus are garden staples for many of us, and we look forward to their return every spring.

There is another group of bulbs that are planted in the spring and bloom throughout the summer and early fall.

This group includes the beautiful begonia that has a long bloom season and is available in many colors for use in a shady area; the sophisticated Calla lillies (Zantedeschia) vase-shared flowers that can last up to two weeks in water; and the cheerful dahlia that has so many different forms and colors that there is one to please everybody, and it blooms in mid- to late-summer and into early fall, just when many other plants are fading.

There are many other tender summer bulbs, including caladium, canna and amaryllis.

This group of plants is called “tender” because they come from warm climates and can’t survive Lehigh Valley winters in the ground.

For this reason, these bulbs are sometimes treated like annuals, plants that live for one season and then die.

But just because you can’t overwinter tender summer-blooming bulbs outdoors doesn’t mean you have to send these beauties to the compost bin after the first frost. Many are easy to store until those glorious days of spring when we can work the soil and start the cycle again.

For most summer-blooming bulbs, it’s time to dig them for storage when the leaves turn yellow in the fall. Gently lift the bulbs out of the ground with a spading fork. Make sure you dig far enough away from the bulb so as not to damage it. Carefully brush the soil off the bulbs and spread them out in a shady place to dry.

Once dry, store them in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight at a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees. A basement or garage will work well as long as the temperature doesn’t fall below 50 degrees.

Different storage temperature instructions may be given for a particular bulb.

Some bulbs, like begonia, canna, dahlia and caladium should have the soil left on them for storage. These bulbs can be stored on a slightly moistened layer of peat moss or sawdust. If you’ve planted your bulbs in pots, keep them in the pot over the winter.

Before storing your bulbs, inspect them for any signs of disease. Healthy bulbs will be large, firm and free from blemishes. Compost undersized bulbs.

If you have only a few bulbs to store, you can place them in a paper bag and hang them with string from the ceiling or wall. A tray with a screen bottom can easily store large numbers of bulbs.

When you place your bulbs on the screen tray, make sure there is good air circulation around the bulbs and that they are not more than two or three layers deep. Any deeper and your bulbs may develop rot.

Tender summer blooming bulbs are versatile and easy to grow. Storing them over the winter allows you to enjoy them for many years to come. Just follow each bulbs’ specific planting requirements in the spring.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613.