Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 5/20/2005

Question
What do I do with my tulips once they have bloomed. Do I  dig them up and if so, how or where do I store them until next season?

Answer
In most parts of North America, you would leave the tulips in the ground.

Fertilize twice in spring. Once as the tulips stick their heads above ground, and again just before or after flowering.

After flowering, cut the spent flowers off (e.g. break or cut the flower stem below the place where the flower petals used to be). This allows the bulbs to concentrate on adding energy to the bulb rather than setting seeds.

Let the tulip foliage remain intact and growing until it turns yellow and wither on it's own. This should be atleast 6-8 weeks.

Once the foliage is yellow you can tuck it off.

These 3 steps:
- fertilize twice in spring
- deadhead the spent flowers
- and allow the tulip foliage to grow until it dies on its own

are the key to repeat shows of tulips.

If you live in a very hot climate (mild winters, hot summers) such as southern california, the dessert, south florida, southern texas etc then tulips are treated as annuals. In most other areas of North America, you can follow above instructions.

Kenneth