Saturday, November 14, 2009

What do I do with these tulip bulbs once I've cut off the bloomed tulips?

I bought a pot of tulips a few weeks ago and they are fully bloomed so I cut them off and put the flowers in vases. Now what do I do with the bulbs in the pot? How far off do I cut the stems, do I plant the bulbs at this time of year (spring in Ohio), or am I suppose to refrigerate them until fall for planting? Thanks!

What do I do with these tulip bulbs once I've cut off the bloomed tulips?
I have cut the flowers off before at the dirt level %26amp; then put the pot, soil and all in the basement and took it out this year. They had actually started to grow early because they get light during the winter without getting the cold at night. I`ve recently put them back outside after the threat of frost has passed and they are doing wonderfully. I`m anxiously awaiting for the flowers again this year. Keep in mind not to water during the winter because they will rot.
Reply:Do not cut the leaves off. Keep the bulbs in the pot until the leaves start to wither. Keep them watered so they don't dry up. Once the leaves start to wither, you can then plant the bulbs out and they will grow next spring. If you cut the leaves off before they die off, the bulbs will not come back. The leaves gather sunlight and store energy back into the bulb so that it can bloom next year.
Reply:you can cut back the leaves after removing the whole from the pot allow to dry a little (a day maybe) then store in a paper bag in a cool dry place. and plant in the fall.


or as the first person said break the plants apart and plant now.


they will die back in the fall and reemerge in the spring.


freezing is for forcing bulbs such as crocuses and others to bloom indoors.
Reply:since you have cut the flowers off already I would either wait for the leaves to start dieing or If you are really in a hurry to plant , plant them the way that they are the stems and leaves need to die back on there own to store up the energy they need to bloom next year if you cut them down with out letting them store up this energy and die gradually you might not get flowers next year.
Reply:Don't cut it back but do plant them cutting them back will make them lose their nutrients that go back to the bulb after flowering
Reply:You can plant them now but you wont get any blooms until next year.


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