I don't have tulips, but I have a lot of daffodils. When I dig them up
to divide them I just use a fork and don't worry about gouging some. I
always end up with far more undamaged bulbs than I started with, and
usually have to give some away. I don't keep any that show a wound,
although I suspect some of them would survive.

Ted Shoemaker wrote:

When digging up tulip bulbs, to divide them:
(1) How do you avoid damaging the bulbs? I can't think of any way to
prevent goung some bulbs, except to have them in soil so friable (such
as Miracle Gro potting soil) that you could just lift them out and not
use a spade.
(2) When you have damaged a bulb, how much damage is "okay"? How
much can get lopped of, and the thing will probably grow next spring
anyway?

Thank you!

Ted Shoemaker

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