Tulips After Blooming: To Lift or Not to Lift?
As the last of the tulips are now in flower, gardeners may be wondering whether to lift the bulbs that have finished blooming or leave them in the ground for the next year.
Consider Your Soil and Tulip Variety
According to Richard Wilford, horticulturist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the decision to lift tulips depends on your soil type and the variety of tulip.
- Free-Draining Soil: Tulips need free-draining soil to survive. If you have sandy soil that drains quickly, you can leave the tulips in the ground. However, if you have heavy or clay soil, it’s best to lift them.
- Varieties: Different groups of tulips have varying resilience. Lily flower tulips and Fosteriana hybrids are more likely to come back each year. On the other hand, Single Late Group tulips are less likely to return.
Effects of Weather on Tulips
Tulips thrive in long, hot, dry summers with free-draining soil. Wet summers and heavy soil can cause bulbs to rot in the ground.
Lifting Tulips
If you decide to lift your tulips, do so carefully when the leaves start to brown. Store them in a cool, dark place with good air circulation until replanting in autumn.
Leaving Tulips in the Ground
Leaving tulips in the ground may result in some loss due to weather conditions. Those that return may not be identical to the originals. Some gardeners appreciate the naturalistic surprise of their tulips in the following spring.