Tulip bulb question?

I Recently bought a house and there were some overgrown tulips. Not taken care of in years. I dug up the tulip bulbs today. What should I do with them to use them again?Should I cut the roots off and wash them off?

Tulip bulb question?
Most tulips bloom for years. They should be seperated and replanted .Throw away any bulbs that appear unhealthy. Put some ferts in the hole and replant..


I have 100s each spring and most are over 10 years old. I fertalize spring and fall.
Reply:Well, the thing about Tulips is that they are biennial which means they only flower for two years and that's it. However, the bulbs should have produced babies. Look at your bulbs and see if you can tell which is the mother plant and which are the offspring. Throw away the spent mother bulb and replant the babies. You don't have to cut the roots off, you just put them back in ground for next spring. Also, for future reference, you need to leave the foliage undisturbed until it has completely died and turned brown because the bulbs derive their energy from the sun.