Curling Leaves on a Anemone Coronaria Bulbs?

Q: I have planted some Anemone Coronaria Bulbs in pots indoors. They started out with full leaves but now they are starting to curl and seem a bit dry. They were in a window in sunlight but, possibly too cold? Any advice would be helpful.

Hardiness Zone: 6a

PAT from MASSACHUSETTS

A: Pat,

Leaf curling is often caused by too little heat, overwatering, underwatering or cold drafts. To pinpoint the cause, look at those factors first. You may be right about it being too cold. Anemone bulbs are quite susceptible to damage from cold temperatures. Try moving them back from the window to a warm location that is bright, out of direct sunlight. Make sure you keep the soil moist, but not saturated and give them a shot of 1/2 strength plant fertilizer. The bulbs should not be allowed to dry out at anytime during the forcing period. As with all bulbs, successful forcing of Anemone Coronaria also depends on the development of good roots during the cold storage period. If you suspect this could be the problem, you could try to move the bulbs back into a cool, dark location for a few weeks to try and encourage additional root development.

Ellen