Bulbs

[Lacey]

Can anyone tell me if tulip bulbs should be dug up each year and replanted? I have heard that you should and have even seen different containers to put them in to store. I have always left mine in the dirt through the winter and even have planted some after our first freeze. What is the proper way to care for them?

 

[firelily99]

Generally tulips should be dug up in the Spring after the leaves die and replanted in mid fall. Dry them out before storing to prevent rot. I use either a paper bag or a mesh bag, make sure they are safely away from mice.

 

[cmckinney01]

I never dig mine up and replant them. Yet, they come up year after year and keep on blooming. Maybe I am doing it wrong but once I plant a bulb, I let it stay there. Tulip bulbs seem to do well on their own. Mother Nature takes care of them herself.

 

[Trellum]

I do the exact thing the poster above me does. I mean... tulips did quite well before we were around isn't it? Most plants did, so why not let nature do its thing? It's way easier and effortless, at least I might be lazy tho, but this approach has worked great for me so far

 

[gata montes]

Even though everything says that you should dig up certain bulbs after they've finished flowering - I don't and have never dug up tulip bulbs or any other type of bulb, corm or tuber for that matter - I just leave them in the ground and to be honest have found it to be way better, as not only do they come back quicker and stronger but also they multiply much better when left in the ground - the only time I might be a bit worried about leaving them in the ground, is if I lived somewhere that had copious quantities of rain and the ground remained sodden or waterlogged for some considerable time - in which case it may be worth considering lifting them - due to the danger of the bulbs rotting.

 

[cmckinney01]

Even though I already posted in this forum, I do want to add something about not digging up bulbs and replanting them. A common mistake a lot of people make is cutting down the tulip too soon once it has bloomed. Instead, wait till you see a yellow streak in its leaves. This is a signal that the plant's chlorophyll has gone into the ground successfully. Once this happens, you can cut away the dead bloom and the leaves, and rest assured that your tulip will bloom again for you next spring.

 

[jenjen8987]

I've never done anything with my tulip bulbs and they have done fine though if you do store bulbs they needs to be on a cool dry place.

 

[LindaKay]

I have always heard that you're supposed to, but a friend of mine never does and he has a beautiful garden. Who knows, though? I swear he has a green thumb -- all of his plants always look marvelous.

 

[Lostvalleyguy]

Digging them up and replanting frees up the space for something else to grow and it offers an opportunity to separate any bulb clusters and to amend the soil if needed. For many bulbs, digging them up depends on the climate. If they are natural to your area, they should survive and come back. If a bulb is not indigenous (especially the ones usually planted in the spring) they may be susceptible to freezing or rotting and death.