Tulips
 

Hi-
I have a question about tulips. I planted a lot of them last fall to fill
the front of a new flower bed. This year my husband and I have decided to do
some additional landscaping and the tulips have to go :( At any rate, I was
wondering if any one knew how to pull the bulbs out and keep them so I can
transplant them in the fall.

Janet wrote:
Hi-
I have a question about tulips. I planted a lot of them last fall to
fill
the front of a new flower bed. This year my husband and I have
decided to do
some additional landscaping and the tulips have to go :( At any rate,
I was
wondering if any one knew how to pull the bulbs out and keep them so
I can
transplant them in the fall.

wait until greenery starts to wilt ...dig up with digging fork ...you
won't believe how deep they can go ...some would replant immediately,
other would trim off green, let dry and keep cool to prevent rotting,
until late fall after heavy rains are finished

I would wait until tops die down and then dig and replant immeciatley.

Marv-Montezuma, IA
http://community.webshots.com/user/vmwood

"Janet" wrote in message
...
Hi-
I have a question about tulips. I planted a lot of them last fall to fill
the front of a new flower bed. This year my husband and I have decided to
do
some additional landscaping and the tulips have to go :( At any rate, I
was
wondering if any one knew how to pull the bulbs out and keep them so I can
transplant them in the fall.

I agree that you should wait until they die back. You will know they are
ready when you can lightly tug on the faded leaves and they easily pull away
from the earth. The other thing to consider is that some tulips don't
return to bloom very reliably. Most years my tulips don't return and when
they do, they don't bloom. I am very careful not to cut them back and still
they don't return. You might be putting yourself through a lot of work with
little chance of results. Unless you have a huge investment in bulbs and
they are a reliable variety, I would consider just pitching them.