Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Tulips

Q. I received a gift of potted tulips. They were in bloom and now have died. Can I save the bulbs for next year? How do I save them and when and how do I plant them again if it is at all feasible. Right now I have them in my refrigerator in a plastic bag.

A. No, you do not want them in the fridge. Take them out [I assume you have removed them from the pot and brushed off the soil, but it is not necessary] and when the soil in your gardening zone is warm enough to work it easily, dig a bed for them, in a sunny location.

You may need additives to your soil. Clay is the worst for bulbs, as their roots have a difficult time growing through it. Add peat moss, dried steer manure, bloodmeal, bonemeal, compost and/or leaf mold to aerate and enrich the soil.

Plant them about 5" deep, with the tips upward, about 8-10" apart. Many people like to plant them closer in clumps for flowering effect!

Encourage them to grow all season, providing plenty of water and fertilizer. All bulbous plants produce food in the foliage and store it in the bulbs through winter. Then, the stalks will come up and bloom again for you.

Q. I received two pots of tulip plants. The flowers are gone and the leaves are turning yellow. What is your suggestion to do with them now? Do I keep watering them or can I plant them in the garden now even though you usually plant tulip bulbs in the fall?

A. Tulips are peculiar in this way. Yes, you are right that they should be planted in the fall in order to get flowers for the following spring. But, in your case, the bulbs were forced to bloom for sale and are finished for the year.

That is not to say that your job is also finished! If you [and you do] want them to bloom again for you, take them outside now and knock out of the pot. Plant them in a bright garden bed maintaining the same soil level as before. Water in well.

You can also break apart the soil ball and space the bulbs out 6-12" apart. But, tulips are also very pretty growing and blooming in clumps. Fertilize them once a month and trim off any dead foliage, but try to keep the plants growing, as you are building up the food storage in the bulbs and will then have bigger and more flowers next spring!

Same advice goes for other forced spring bulbs, as hyacinth, daffodil, narcissus, and later any lilies that you purchase in bloom.

Q. I received some potted tulips as a gift; 2 of the flowers were starting to bloom. I watered them and put them in my southern window, woke up in the morning to find the heads all shriveled up and some of the smaller shoots limp and yellow. What can I do now with the dead heads and to save what's left? What did I do wrong?

A. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. There is nothing that you can do for the dead heads now. They are beyond repair. But I want you to check the following thoughts and see if one or more apply to you, as I can only guess with just a bit to go on:

Did you have AM sun shining right onto it that first day? They are used to cool temps and low light, coming from a nursery or store. The shock alone could cause this.

Were they near a furnace heating draft? If so, move them to a protected site.

Why did you water them right away? Were they dry, or was it just human nature? If tulips or other flowering pots are brought home, they need a rest period, and if sufficiently moist, adding more water can cause them to drop over and look very sad.

What were the temps like? Was it in the 60sF at night? I hope so, as if in the 69-75 range, it could have been too warm for them, with no light at night.

Cut back on the watering and give them good indirect light with no warmth coming from the window. Keep in the 60s if possible. Let the soil go dry on top, and do not allow to sit in any water ever.

Feed them very lightly in about a week, with a 20-20-20 or one with a higher middle number for flowering.

Q. Why are my tulips blooming with such short stems?

A. There are two reasons for tulips to bloom with such short stems that I recall.

One is the age of the bulbs. They get shorter as they get older. It is best to refresh your garden beds yearly with new vigorous bulbs in the fall, mixed in with the prior ones. The old ones get smaller, prone to disease and the colors lose their vibrancy. I have seen the stems shorter on them, too.

The other factor is food. Have you been feeding your bulbs regularly? They need lots of food, first in the spring, and then throughout the summer as long as the foliage is green.

Bonemeal is excellent to sprinkle over the beds in the early springtime, like now. The water or rain will seep it into their root area. A good outdoor fertilizer every two weeks used according to the label will give the bulbs more food and therefore more power to bloom and also produce the nice tall stems that you want back!

But, also check your package and see if you bought dwarf tulips, which are pretty, but bloom very close to the ground.

Q. I would like to know if anyone can help, I planted tulips about 6 years ago along my house; I moved some several years ago and placed them in a different spot. My question is the ones that are left come up with big leaves and no bloom. What is the problem? What do I have to do?

A. Firstly, there is no time to cut the tulip foliage. You need to keep it alive and green throughout the summer as the leaves produce the food for the bulb to make new flowers the following spring. If by fall, there are no flowers initiated inside the bulb, there will be no flowers next spring.

I suspect a couple things, so ask and suggest:

Are the tulips getting enough direct sunlight in the new location? If very shaded, they will not bloom. Our shady back yard proved to be rather hard to get 6-year-old bulbs to keep blooming.

How about the soil? Have you tested for pH? I would like you to dust some bonemeal around the plants right now. Also, give them a couple shots of MirAcid every two weeks for two months. Make sure they stay well-watered through the summer, too.

If the foliage bothers you, tie it together and stake to keep upright. Many gardeners plant tall annuals or biennials around them to hide the foliage. Try zinnia, marigold, delphinium, hollyhock, foxglove, daisy, or coreopsis.

Q. Several weeks ago, I received two potted tulip plants from a friend. They were purchase at a local grocery store. Since then, they have died back and are brown and withered. Can I, or how do I, plant these outside so they will come again next spring?

A. Now that the foliage and flowers have died back, take the pot outside, knock the plants out of the pot, separate the bulbs [there will be probably around 5], and dig a good garden bed to a depth of 6-8". Add decomposed compost or leaf mold and a bit of bonemeal to the soil. Lay in soil until you are at a depth of 5" and place the bulbs, cleaned of any of the former material, and have the tip pointed upward, flat or rounded base at bottom. Space out about 6-8", depending upon whether you want them to bloom in a cluster or a wider area.

Cover, water well, and mark so that you know where they are, to avoid digging in the spot later on. There may be some green growth that appears, and if so treat it well, with regular watering and light fertilizer monthly. In the fall, whatever is there will die back and go dormant until the spring temps rise. Then, you will start having your yearly blooming tulips!

Member Linda writes~
Would like to have GardeningWithGary comment on tulips. I sure have trouble getting a flower after I plant them.

A. Most bulbs prefer sun and good drainage, but there are exceptions. You may ask at your nursery for bulbs that tolerate shade and wet conditions. Plant anytime in autumn before the ground freezes, but preferably while the soil is still warm since the roots can develop more. Don't allow the bulbs to sit around too long before planting, or they'll dry out. Don't plant in long straight rows. space them out, blending colors so that
they look natural. Plant 3 times the height of the bulb. Plant deeper in sandy soils and shallower in clay soils. Work up your soil well, and amend with peat moss, dried leaves, or leaf mold to enrich and lighten, so that the roots may grow deeply for the years to come. If planted late in the season, the root systems may not develop well enough for flower production the first year. But don't worry; they should bloom on schedule every year thereafter. Don't use bone meal in the bottom of the planting hole since it can attract rodents. Instead, work superphosphate into the soil at the bottom of the planting hole according to package directions. Water well when planting and once a week if rain is lacking. Use a nitrogen fertilizer in spring [first number in the formula the highest]. You may apply mulch to a depth of 1" especially if the ground gets cold in the winter. If the bulbs sprout during a warm spell in winter, there's usually no cause for alarm. They can take freezing temperatures.

Remove spent flowers from the bulbs. This encourages them to grow and produce bulblets that will mature into more bulbs. Tulips should be dug up every couple years to separate bulbs and space them out. Otherwise, blooming will diminish to nothing, and the bulbs will die off. Allow flowers of smaller bulbs to go to seed so they'll reproduce more quickly. After the show of blooms is over, allow the foliage to completely die down naturally before cutting it Consider planting bulbs with perennials that require the same growing conditions to camouflage the withering foliage.

Bulbs that require winter dormancy may be difficult to grow in warm regions, and may need to be dug up and chilled by refrigeration. See the link below for info. Plant spring blooming bulbs in fall, and summer blooming bulbs in spring. Rather than choosing a few bulbs of several varieties, choose many of few varieties. The impact of masses of blooms will be much more impressive. If you want to naturalize bulbs, fling a bag of bulbs into your planting space and plant them where they land. If you have problems with squirrels and deer, avoid tulips and plant daffodils!

Assistance from about.com

Q. I am planning to plant tulip bulbs in my garden. Would you recommend any particular type of bulb food or fertilizer, so that the blooms next year are more healthier?

A. I like to fertilize mine with a low nitrogen food, as I want them to grow each year and not bloom once and then replace each year. True, the flowers diminish in size and amount after one year, but if you add some new bulbs each year, you will ensure a full display year after year!

Fertilize in fall and spring. For those who treat tulips as annuals, not expecting anything the second year, no fertilizer is necessary. Bulbs (which are not seeds, but living plants), have more than enough food stored up to ensure a vigorous bloom the first season.

But if a comeback performance is desired, low nitrogen fertilizer such as well-rotted cow manure, or special bulb fertilizer [check your local nursery] is recommended at fall planting time and each fall thereafter. If you did not fertilize in fall, in the spring [as the shoots first appear] you can add a high nitrogen, fast-release fertilizer to promote future performance.

Plant bulbs in a well-drained, sandy area. This is essential for formal beds and naturalizing. Wet soil promotes fungus and disease and can rot bulbs. Adding organic matter such as well rotted cow manure, compost or peat moss can also facilitate drainage.

Plant tulip bulbs 8" deep, measuring from the base of the bulb. If you add mulch to the surface after planting, include its depth as a part of your overall planting depth. (For instance, 5 inches deep in soil plus 3 inches of mulch = 8 inches deep.)

Water bulbs after planting. Though standing water is not good for bulbs, sufficient water is necessary to get them growing. Water is especially important right after planting to ensure that the plants develop a strong root system before going into winter dormancy.

In the spring, after the blossoms have passed their peak, clip off the flower heads and allow the green foliage to die back. This technique lets the plant put all its energy into building a strong bulb for next season.

Assistance from Bulbs.com is acknowledged.

Q. I have been told that Tulips will not continue to bloom year after year. If this statement is accurate, what may I do to prolong the number of years that my tulips will bloom?

A. The correct way to word it is that tulips gradually decrease in their blooming habits as the bulbs get older. They produce offsets, or side bulbs, sort of youngsters, and they continue the life of the tulip via separation. My Father has tulips which he has had for 20+ years, but they do not bloom nearly like they did back then.

Care of tulips will increase their life. Good watering not only in the early spring through flowering, but all summer long. Many gardeners forget about their spring-flowering blooms. They are done, so that's that until next spring! No, you must keep caring for them. Try to maintain their foliage with water and light feedings throughout the hot summer. Stake them to support the leaves in their search for light in order to produce food for the bulbs. The more food, the fatter the bulb, the larger and more flowers.

Give them a top dressing of bonemeal [from a nursery]. Dig up tulips and other spring bulbs/tubers/corms in the fall every couple years and let them air dry. Remove the smaller bulbs and plant them separately. Place fresh compost into the newly dug holes. Water well and allow them to go into winter dormancy.

Care for them 9 months out of the year, and you will get more bang out of them, though their production will gradually slide and you will need to replant more bulbs every couple years for volume flowering.

Q. I planted some tulip bulbs a couple of weeks ago....in Ohio, about two or three inches deep. I am concerned if they are deep enough. Should I put more soil on top or some mulch?

A. You do not say how far south in the great home state of Ohio you live [I am accustomed to gardening in Toledo and down to Columbus], but I feel that you planted them too shallow. Where did you get this info? Tulips will freeze if not protected from cold freezing temps reaching down into the soil throughout the cold rain and winter of the Midwest. I like to have mine about 5" deep. A little lower may slow down the growth of the shoots in the spring and reduce flowering. 4" is borderline and anything less than that is dangerous, unless the garden bed is in a protected area or close to a building.

Now you can add two to three inches of mulch and water in so that it will not disperse in the winter. Use peat moss, compost, ground bark, dried healthy leaves containing no fungi or insects. Cover well and observe throughout the winter. After blooming next spring and the foliage starts to yellow and die back, dig them up, clean and separate them, and replant deeper. All will not be lost with additional covering right now, which you obviously suspected!

Q. What is the best time to plant tulips in Illinois?

A. In Illinois, the best time is the early fall as the garden starts to go dormant and you can still get into the soil beds and dig down at least 5". Then, you emend with peat moss, leaf mold, humus, compost and/or slow release fertilizer. Later than this and the soil is beginning to get frozen and the bulbs need that time in the beds to start their root growth and settle in for the winter.

You can also add tulips to your Illinois [or similar climatic zone...I grew up in Ohio] garden in early spring as early as you can dig into the soil. This depends upon how long your cold late winter weather lasts ands how early spring is.

Purchase bulbs from a nursery or garden center which are 'cold-treated' so that they have spent the necessary time in cold storage to initiate the flowers for spring. Otherwise, you will have to wait another spring until they bloom.

L. Thomason writes~
I have just noticed that some of my new tulips are putting out "red" leaves. Is this normal? If not, what could I have possibly done wrong? I live in S. Alabama.

A. Some hybrids have a reddish tone to their foliage, even red stripes. This is normal and considered attractive. But, if most of the tulip leaves are green in the clumps and once in a while a leaf pops up with red in the coloration, then it is not normal.

This would signify a lack in the element Phosphorus, very common lacking in many soil types. Go to your local garden center or nursery and look through the fertilizers for spring-flowering bulbs. Pick one which is high in the middle number of the three on the label. This is the P, the others being N and K, so a 10-25-12 contains 25% Phosphorus. Usually one or two applications is all that is necessary to bring up the level and eliminate the reddening of foliage.

Many gardeners sprinkle bone meal on top of their bulb beds. Consider doing this every year in the spring and late fall. Locate a package of it and read the directions carefully. Do not overuse.

Kristina writes~
I would like to have fresh tulips for wedding in Late March.  I live in Houston Texas.  When should I buy and plant?  Should I refrigerate the bulbs first?

A. Many times you may purchase spring-flowering bulbs right now [end of September] which have been pretreated. Check the label which is attached to the bag or ask a knowledgeable employee. This would signify that the bulbs have received the cold treatment necessary to initiate flowers for next spring. Then, you merely plant the bulbs in a well-worked garden bed to a depth of about 5-6" and follow the directions. I would imagine that you would have plenty of flowers the end of March next year, but I do not know your climate well enough to promise that is the time tulips bloom. Hopefully you are aware when they bloom in your neighborhood.

Kathy Huber of the Houston Chronicle, 12/12/1997, adds:
Many gardeners earmark New Year's as planting time. Tulips need several hours of sun for the best blooms, but given some light shade, you may see longer stems. The ideal soil makeup for tulip bulbs is a sandy, organically enriched soil. Good drainage is a must or the bulbs will rot. Work the soil well, adding bone meal or superphosphate if the squirrels dig in your garden. Create a large hole about 6 inches deep with a fairly level bottom if you wish to plant a cluster of bulbs and want the blooms to be about the same height. Cover the bottom of the hole with an inch of sharp sand, then space the bulbs about 4 inches apart on the sand. If you're digging single holes, place sand in the bottom of each. Plant the bulbs with the pointed end up -- and the flat side of the bulb facing the front of the bed. Cover the bulbs with 3 or 4 inches of soil, then water. Remember to water as the tulips grow if we don't have sufficient rains.

Also, for more reading:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/fall1998/tulip/Update091898.html

http://www.950kprc.com/gardenline-moresources.html

Jackie writes~ I have received tulips for Easter this year and felt that they were "choking" in the tiny pot in which they were planted. I took a chance and planted them (while in bloom) in my garden. Will they come back next year if I let them grow as usual and then cut the heads off?

A. The garden zone in which you lives decides the response. Do you have freezing or nearly in the winter? All spring-flowering bulbs need a cold period of about 8-10 weeks. Do tulips bloom each spring in your area? If so, then they will again perform but do not count on much next spring since they have been forced into bloom as a potted plant and are expended. During the summer you must water and feed the plant well [bulbs placed to a depth of 5-6"]. Keep the foliage fresh green and growing as long as you can. The foliage builds up food in the bulbs for the next year's production. Only foliage may appear next year, but that is just as well, for after another season, you could be blessed with a good show of flowers once again. If you do not get cold winters, the bulbs will need cold treatment in a refrigerator and then replanted.