Lifting and storing fritillaria?

Hi everyone, I'm currently sifting gravel from soil and putting it in 100 litre pots to reuse later (I haven't got no where else to store it), I think I'm going to need all the pots I can get my hands on, I grew my fritillaria in a 100 litre pot I'm just wondering if it's possible to lift and store them now? Thanks

 

Don't. Frits die if they are stored dry. That is why a lot of the ones sold in shops never grow. Better to keep them planted and slightly damp.

 

Thanks @Palustris plan b it is, don't know what plan b is yet, just wondering how many hanging baskets I've got

 

Sorry to disagree @Palustris , but this is a quote from Carol Kein ( who I have a great respect for, in my opinion one of the best ) this week.....

" Replacing the Crown Imperial Fritillaries in the big pots. Lifting the bulbs carefully in the hope that their shrinking stems and leaves will feed back into the bulbs, which can then be stored until next year ".

 

I prefer to take the advice from Kevin Pratt who wrote the book on Fritilarias . Maybe the big imperialis types can stand drying out, but the smaller ones like F. meleagris definitely die. If you are lucky and the suppliers send them out as fresh bulbs properly packed then they will grow, but stored dry for any length of time, no chance.
Frits are what is called 'naked' bulbs in that they do not have a coat to protect them from desiccation. Snowdrops are another of the same type whereas Narcissus and Tulips have protective skins.

 

Thanks everyone for your advice some good points all round, one things for sure you all know an awful lot more than me