Tulips are one of the most well-liked flower bulbs due to their vivid colors and unique shapes. What to do with tulips once they bloom is a common query we receive. Tulip flowers are commonly treated as annuals by gardeners, who toss the bulbs after they bloom. However, with a little tender loving care, you may get your tulips to blossom once more the following season.
Snip Off The Dead Flower Heads
Because it prevents the plants from focusing their energy on seed development, deadheading tulips as soon as the flowers have died is essential. By removing the flower head, the plant may concentrate its energy on developing bulb offsets underground (this is how tulips multiply true-to-form).
Do Not Remove Dead Leaves – Tips To Do With Tulips After They Bloom
After you snip off the dead flower head, leave the foliage on the plant rather than remove it. Photosynthesis occurs on the leaves. Remove the dead leaves after the foliage has naturally died back. Before you remove the leaves, they should be yellow or brown in color. For the majority of tulips, leaves can be cut back at ground level or pulled up with the bulbs if they will be preserved for a few months before being replanted in the fall.
After flowering, the plant can continue to produce energy by keeping its leaves on for four to six weeks. This energy is then stored underground in the new tulip bulbs that sprout from the original bulb. By leaving the foliage and stems, you’re also allowing nutrients from the leaves to seep back into the bulb so it can bloom once more the next season.
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Pull Out The Bulbs – Tips To Do With Tulips After They Bloom
Pull out the bulbs carefully after 6 to 8 weeks have elapsed or when all of the leaves have fallen to the ground. Don’t dig them up too soon, or they might stop blooming. Let the bulbs dry after brushing the dirt off of them. After that, clip off any residual leaves and keep the bulbs in a room with good ventilation until it’s time to plant them in the fall. This article includes instructions on how to store tulip bulbs.
Apply Natural Fertilizer
Right after blooming, a high-quality natural bulb fertilizer can be used to aid the plant in producing healthy offsets. In the weeks following blooming, offsets—baby tulip bulbs—grow around the primary mother bulb. If tulip bulbs need to be lifted and stored or if they are perennial varieties that naturally naturalize an area, feeding the tulips can be extremely beneficial.
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Choose The Best Soil – Tips To Do With Tulips After They Bloom
Tulips grow best in soil that is fluffy, free-draining, and just barely damp. The best soil for tulips is one that drains properly, so they don’t sit in water. Additionally, you want the soil to be sufficiently permeable to allow for soil aeration. The bulbs may decay if the soil is too dense and moisture accumulates. Additionally, the soil needs to be loose enough for nutrients to reach the bulbs and promote regeneration.
You want to maintain the soil somewhat dry without fertilizing once spring has passed and your bulbs are in the ground, so the flowers don’t blossom too early. Unless you have a really dry summer, the soil will still be slightly moist from the winter, so more water is typically not needed.
You can also gauge the soil’s acidity to make sure your tulip bulbs bloom the following season again. In slightly neutral to acidic soil, tulips thrive. A garden soil test can be used to determine the pH. You can amend your soil with acidic mulch, peat moss, or animal dung if it is too basic or alkaline.
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