Mold on Tulip sprouts

Unionworkeruk

I have pots of tulips under cover in the garden They are beginning to sprout but some have mould around the tips. The soil is damp and they are in a dark area under planks on supports with a water proof sheet over then when it rains  . Is there anything I can do to save them and prevent it happening to the others ?

Pete.8

It sounds like they're not getting much fresh air around them which has let the mould take hold.
Tulips are fully hardy in the UK. 
When I grow them I just leave the pots on the patio throughout winter and they pop up in the spring. Just ensure the pots are slightly raised off the ground to allow drainage - I usually just put 4 small stones under each pot, but you can buy pot feet.

Unionworkeruk

Thanks. Sounds like you are right. They are not getting much air so I have moved them out on to the patio as you suggest. I was told to keep them under cover from frost etc but seems to have created another problem. Are the ones with mould lost or any hope for them  ?

Pete.8

If it's just a bit of mould on the leaf tips I imagine they'll be ok.
If you could post a pic we could probably give a better idea.

It is important to keep the pots off the ground slightly otherwise the drainage hole often becomes blocked and the pot fills with rain water which will damage or kill them.

Fairygirl

If you're in an area of heavy rainfall, you can tuck them against a house wall. I do that with mine, because even if they're in well drained gritty soil/compost, they can get very wet.
In the absence of a suitable spot, you could put a sheet of glass/polycarbonate over them - about a foot above the pots - just to keep the worst off. Like an umbrella 

Wet, cold is what they don't appreciate. The dank, dark surroundings you've had them in isn't ideal for them. Dry cold is perfectly fine.
I'd agree with Pete - if it's just a bit of surface damage, a wipe should help. 

Unionworkeruk

Thanks Fairygirl.  I can line them up against the house wall and if it looks like heavy rain or snow/frost I can always move them back uner cover. Its actually two scaffold boards on sewing machine bases but I did cover them with a sheet which has kept the air flow out.  What should I wipe them down with  ? 

Fairygirl

Just any piece of soft cloth would do I'd think. Then cross your fingers 
It's the air flow that's important, as Pete said. They're perfectly hardy. Covering them closely traps moisture which they won't appreciate.
It's only prolonged rain which is detrimental - and only if plants are in an unsuitable medium, so don't worry unnecessarily. House walls are good because the eaves keep the worst of the weather away from them, assuming you pick a wall which isn't directly in the path of the rain. 
It's simialr to insulation - many people don't realise that if they insulate something [ and not just plants] after it's got very cold, it traps the cold air, and often does more harm than leaving them completely open to the elements. It has to be done when at an ambient sort of temperature, before plants gets too cold, to be effective. 

Unionworkeruk

Thanks to you and Peter I think I have the problem solved ! Good to know where I can go for understandable advice.

Fairygirl

Fingers crossed the ones you have will recover and flower.
It's difficult to advise further without actually seeing them, but if they haven't been sitting rotting, or getting heavily damaged by the mould, they should be ok 

Pete.8

Good luck, and I hope they give you a lovely display in a few weeks.