Get expert tips on what to do with tulip bulb after flowering so they ’ll rebloom next bound .
Bob Stefko
Tulips quick sprout from the solid ground and show off vividly colored blossom while most other plant have barely set out waking up in leaping . But what should you do with tulip bulbs after blossom and they ’re start to look scraggly ? That depends mainly on thetype of tulipsthey are and where you planted them . get out what experts commend to encourage tulip bulbs to bloom again next year .
Credit:Bob Stefko
Which Tulip Bulbs Rebloom?
Whileall tulip are perennials , some are better than others when it come to blooming again next season . Many forward-looking showy tulips struggle to do much in their second year , which is one understanding why many peoplegrow them as annuals , but that does n’t mean you ca n’t judge .
Darwin hybrids , coinage tulip , waterlily tulip , and Greigii tulips are among the most willing to be permanent features in your springtime landscape .
Forced Tulip Bulbs: Don’t Bother
In late winter and early spring , many of us buy tulip already burgeon forth in a decorative pot or a foil - wrap plastic container . They blossom in a workweek and supply us with some needed indoor cheer . Thesebulbs have been forcedinto blooming outside of their rude timeframe .
Plus , they are often planted too tightly together . They ’re all right without much space forgetful - terminal figure because the muscularity they need to grow and flush is already in the bulb . But they usually wo n’t continue to turn well if planted after they flower . These forced tulip bulbs are bestrelegated to the compost pileafter blooming .
Bulbs in the Ground or Containers
You have a ripe scratch if you purchased tulip lightbulb and planted them in the solid ground last evenfall at the correct depth and space . Bulbs properly implant in potsmay also be coaxed to bloom again .
According to Peggy Anne Montgomery , a plantsman representing Flowerbulb.eu , the after - bloom care is interchangeable for tulip in containers and in - land plants . But because all tulip , even those in pots , demand some metre to reload after blooming , they can occupy space you may not have . That ’s why she prefers to treat tulip in pots like annual .
“ I do n’t like to tie up my containers while the tulips course die out back . I use tulips as annuals in my pots and compost them when I ’m quick to embed my containers for summer display . Tulip bulbs compare favourably in price with other yearly , ” Montgomery allege .
If you plan on growing tulip as annuals , you do n’t have to do anything to them after they bloom other than dig them up andtoss them in the compost pile . However , if you have the space , right care of tulips that bloom this class can keep the bulb going from year to year .
Caring for Tulips After Flowering
tulip are bulbing plants that store energy from this year ’s growth to blossom again the following spring . Their treatment this year strongly shape the achiever of next twelvemonth ’s flowers . There are three central tips for helping your bulbs come back strong .
tulip are cervid confect . If they are crunch down , they wo n’t be able to store energy in their bulbs to flower next yr . Plant tulip in a fenced country if deer are a job .
Remove the Spent Flowers
Like all florescence plant , a tulip is attempt to reproduce . After the flower petal slice and fall off , the rest of the flower part remain to create the seeds .
“ It ’s best toremove the spent flowersso the works ’s energy does n’t go into bring out source , ” Montgomery explain . With no seeds to produce , energy from photosynthesis is channelize down to the medulla oblongata , where it is hive away for the next yr .
Montgomery points out that if you ’re growing tulips as annual , there ’s no need to remove the blooms , and you may compost the entire works .
Leave the Leaves
Likedaffodils , hyacinths , and other bulbs , tulip need their leaves to soak up some sun after blossom . This energy will fuel next year ’s flowers .
“ appropriate the leaf to wither naturally , " sound out Keegan Nesvacil , the executive vice president and atomic number 27 - beginner of Woodland Tools . " It can be tempting to go disturbed with pruning instantly after the tulips terminate flowering , but we recommend provide the foliage to yellow and wither before removing it . This can take between four to six weeks . "
Nesvacil also points out that after blooming is a good time to stomach the plant with some nutrients . “ Apply a balanced , slow - release bulb plant food right after flowering . This boosts the bulb strength and facilitate the tulip execute well time of year after time of year , especially for varieties like Darwin crossbreed . ”
Maintain Good Drainage
Tulip bulbs in the garden may rot if the filth is kept too wet . To avoid this , Nesvacil says to “ Keep the soil sparkle and dry , as tulips dislike soggy soil . Make certain you institute tulip inwell - drain areasand void leaden mulching . ”
If your yard is flat , low , and poorly drained , take planting tulip in a put up bottom or berm to facilitate drainage .
Tulip Bulb Storage
While tulip bulbs are often left in the earth , those planted in pots or areas with heavy summertime rainfall may profit from being apprehend up and hive away until fall planting prison term . “ If you live in a clime where the garden is waterlogged after the growing time of year , we recommend removing the bulbs from the grease after the foliage fades , allowing them to dry out , and stack away them in a cool , wry place until the fall , ” says Nesvacil .
Do n’t forget to tag them , and plant a reminder toreplant your tulip bulbsin fall so they can get the inhuman treatment during wintertime that they need to set off bloom .
