Topic: What to do with tulip bulbs?

[Trillium]

Hi,

I've lifted the tulips that flowered earlier this year and now have an assortment of large bulbs and small bulblets.  Should I store them all dry until autumn, or plant up the smaller ones to keep them fattening up this year - do they keep growing in summer or stop?

Any advice most welcome!

Trillium

[Rosa_Mundi]

I'd be inclined to keep them dry until autumn. Although I've never checked, I've always assumed that tulips simply lie dormant in summer.

[philcooper]

Once the leaves have died back they just sits and waits

Phil

[clairenpaul]

We always store them till the autumn - the leaves feed the bulbs once they've finished flowering and once the've died back and you lift them they won't grow anymore. Iwas told by someone to plant tulip bulbs late (November i think) but I can't for the life of me remember why... think old age is taking its toll :)

[Rox]

question: where the larger bulbs have split into several smaller bulbs, is it worth potting up the smaller ones as well ? do these actually have enough in them to produce a flower as well? or would they come up blind? As I plant my bulbs in pots, I'd like to try and ensure a nice concentrated display. thanks!!  :)

[Mimi]

Have to say that I have never lifted tulip bulbs.  Mind you I havent grown many so I am not the expert here  ::)  Cant see that it will do them any harm  and then the little bulblets will have time to mature and grow into nice big tulips.  ;D

[Palustris]

If they are already out of the ground then dry them off, check round the neck of the bulb for greenfly (there is a particularly nasty aphid which lives between the out skin and inner surface of tulips and feeds all summer on the sotred bulbs) and store till Autumn. Planting them now will do no good as the bulbs need a certain amount of DRY heat to mature them for next years growth. The small offsets should be planted at the same time as normal and given an extra feed. They usually take a further year or two to reach flowering size depending on size. If you have a well drained,fertile soil, you can leave tulips in the ground. On cold damp clay though it is better to take them up.

[philcooper]

.. where the larger bulbs have split into several smaller bulbs, is it worth potting up the smaller ones as well ? do these actually have enough in them to produce a flower as well? or would they come up blind? As I plant my bulbs in pots, I'd like to try and ensure a nice concentrated display. thanks!!  :)

If you're planting in pots then I would remove them to keep your display tight - grow on the offsets in good soil/compost with organic fertiliser such as blood fish and bone to help them build up until they flower (my book says 2 - 3 years) - by then the larger ones will probably have started deteriating and need replacing - isn't nature wonderful?

Phil

[Rox]

great idea Phil - I will try that - thanks!!

[philcooper]

Rox,

... and when you are the owner of a multinational bulb company, remember who gave you the idea!  ;)

Phil

[Rox]

ha, ha Phil!

moi??

no - don't want to head a multinational - have to deal with them for work sometimes and they're no fun at all - although i could have imagined speculating in tulips like in the old days!  ;) The only business I want is a little resto with the OH - he'll be the chef, while I'll grow the produce and be the sommelier (my other passion apart from my potager...)  :D