Tulips are one of the most beautiful signs of spring. They are in season between March and May and delight the eye with their beautiful, bright flowers. But what happens to the potted flowers and the flowers in the garden after the flowering period ends? We explain when you should cut off, dig up and store spent tulips and in which cases planting them outdoors is an option.
Withered tulips in the pot, what to do after flowering?
The Dutch tulip fields are known worldwide. The practice has become widespread there of cutting off the bulbs before the end of the flowering period. This usually happens in early to mid-May. The reason for this is very simple: the flowers use a lot of the nutrients contained in the bulbs to form seeds. But if the flowers beforeEnd of flowering periodare removed, then the flower bulbs can store these important nutrients. This is particularly important for breeders. Traditionally, tulips are planted in the garden in autumn to bloom again the next year.
Withered flower bulbs in pots: when to cut off the flowers?
Since most hobby gardeners want to marvel at the beautiful flowers for as long as possible, the spring flowers in this country are only cut off after they have faded. As with all bulb flowers, you should adhere to a few rules:
- Just remove the flowers. The leaves will turn yellow over time and only then can they be cut off.
- If the leaves also turn yellow, they and the stems are cut off close to the ground. From this point on, the tulips can be stored over summer.
- The bulb flowers in the pot can first be stored in wooden boxes in summer and then planted in the garden in autumn.
- Alternatively, the early bloomers can be left in the pot and spend the winter there.
- Withered tulips are not a pretty sight. You can visually hide them behind tall grasses and perennials in summer.
Storing tulips in pots over summer: How long should you store the flower bulbs?
After the end of the flowering period, the flowers are removed. However, the potted flowers continue to be watered and fertilized until the leaves also turn yellow. Then the leaves and stems are cut back to the ground and the flower bulbs are dug up and left over in the summer. For this purpose:
- Gently shake the soil away from the flower bulbs.
- Put the onions ondiseases and pestscheck.
- Place the onions in a cool, dry and dark place and let them dry there for several days. It's best to line the work surface in the garden house with newspaper and let the onions air dry there.
- Then fill wooden boxes with sand or newspaper, place the onions in them and cover them with paper or sand. Label the boxes.
- Plant the flowers in the garden at the end of summer.
Plant the bulb flowers in the garden in autumn
Autumn is the right time to plant tulips in the garden. This usually happens in the months of September and October. Planting in November is certainly possible, but depends on the weather. As long as the ground is not frozen and the daytime temperatures are above 0 degrees Celsius, nothing stands in the way of planting.
For this purpose, the soil is first loosened and mixed with sand or gravel. Good drainage is an absolute must, otherwise you risk the bulbs rotting.
Also read:Storing spent flower bulbs: in the ground or digging up?
When planting, the tulips are planted about 20 to 30 cm deep in the soil. The minimum distance between plants should be 10 cm.
The tulip bulbs are rich in nutrients and therefore a delicacy fornumerous garden animals. To protect them, you need a vole barrier. You can cut wire mesh and make a wire basket yourself. Place the bulbs in the basket, add some organic compost and fill the hole with a mixture of garden and potting soil from the pot. You should then water the soil thoroughly.
Overwinter faded tulips in pots
Alternatively, you can overwinter the tulips in pots. This is more complicated because the bulb flowers require intensive care in the cold season and are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. A spot on the balcony that is sheltered from the rain and in the shade is ideal. Tulips are particularly susceptible to pests and diseases, especially in the winter months. Therefore, allow the soil to dry out before watering the flowers. To prevent them from sprouting too early, you should make sure that the flowers are not dark. Strong direct sunlight can quickly warm the soil in the container, which is a signal to the tulips that spring has come.
How to deal with tulips in the gardenfind out here.
