Forum home Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Tulips

I was wondering what I do with my tulips now they are coming to the end of flower? DO I just leave them to die down or do I trim them?

«1

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Nip the old flower heads off to stop them wasting energy trying to produce seed, then when the leaves start turning yellow they are no longer feeding the bulb for next year so remove them to prevent a disease called 'tulip fire'.

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • PinkypooPinkypoo Posts: 32
    Thank you Bob I will add that to my to do list!
  • I have tulip bulbs that I didn't get in the ground.  Is it possible to plant them in a pot and still get blooms?  The are aprouting in the bag.

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Get them planted Tracy - they may not produce flowers this year but should do next year.  They will definitely die if you don't plant them now though.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • If I plant them in pots, will I be able to transfer them to the ground this fall?

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Don't see why not Tracy. I only got round to planting some in mid March -all sprouting like yours - and they're all growing well. As Bob says, you probably won't get much of a show from them now but they'll be happier planted and you could get them where you want them later on. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Interesting... Bob The Gardener....Yesterday I dug up most of the finished flowering tulips and left them to dry up. Not sure if that's the way to go!!! I have in the past left them to die back in the ground. The flowers the following year was not impressive! So I thought I'll do something different this time. What is the life span of tulips???

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Hi Fluffy, they really need to be left to die back naturally as the leaves are building up the bulb for next year's flowers.  Once the leaves die back you can lift them.  Many folk (me included) leave them in the ground, but it's best to plant them 6 to 8 inches deep if you do that.  Some folk treat them as annuals and discard them after flowering, especially if planted in pots.  I think that's what you have effectively done, albeit by accident! image

    There is no one answer to how long they live - I have some that have been in the ground for 30 years and come back every year (plain red and plain yellow ones), but most of the fancy ones I buy rarely do well the following year.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Fluffy CloudFluffy Cloud Posts: 200

    BobTheGardener...thanks. Looks like I'll be saying goodbye to them!!

  • ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949
    BobTheGardener wrote (see)

    Hi Fluffy, they really need to be left to die back naturally as the leaves are building up the bulb for next year's flowers.  Once the leaves die back you can lift them.  Many folk (me included) leave them in the ground, but it's best to plant them 6 to 8 inches deep if you do that.  Some folk treat them as annuals and discard them after flowering, especially if planted in pots.  I think that's what you have effectively done, albeit by accident! image

    There is no one answer to how long they live - I have some that have been in the ground for 30 years and come back every year (plain red and plain yellow ones), but most of the fancy ones I buy rarely do well the following year.

    Bob I just wanted to thank you for such a perfectly clear explanation. I've some tulips that are not growing in the ideal place as we're about to redesign that bit of the garden. However they are beautiful and I'd like to save them (I think they'll be going in the middle of the herb garden to add some colour in the spring and liven it up a little).

    Once the plants have been left to die back and lifted would I be best to store the bulbs in a (dark / dry) bag until we're ready to replant them or would they do better in a large pot of sand / oil ?

Sign In or Register to comment.