Cut off withered flowers
Wide-open flowers with withered edges indicate that a tulip has passed the zenith of its splendor. From now on, the flower pumps its reserves into the seed formation with all its might. This process does not go as the gardener would like, because the tulip is primarily aimed at a large number of offspring and less at a new flower festival. Reason enough to subject the spring flowers to a first stage of pruning. How to cut tulips at the end of flowering:
- Clean up withered tulip blossoms as soon as possible
- Cut off at the base with a knife or scissors
- Do not cut stems and leaves at this stage
also read
- When is the tulip season? - Tips for a long tulip season
- When do early, medium and late tulips bloom? Information about the flowering period
- How to cut tulips correctly - care tips for cut flowers
After cutting withered flowers, set the course for next year's tulip season with an organic supply of nutrients. While the leaves gradually move in, a portion of compost with horn shavings (€ 6.39 on Amazon *) is just what the flower bulbs need. By autumn hard-working soil organisms had processed the organic fertilizer so that it was available for tulips. This strengthens the winter hardiness and optimizes the vitality for another blooming season.
Digression
Cleaning out brings energy reserves to the onion
Just at the time when planting work in the garden is in full swing, faded tulips need to be cleaned. Those who bring themselves to integrate the simple editing work into the work plan will be rewarded for the effort next spring. By capping wilted flower heads, tulips change their minds and send the flow of sap towards their bulbs. As a result, daughter bulbs form, from which further tulip blossoms form in the next or the next spring as if by magic. Excess energy is stored inside the onion so that the mother onion does not run out of floral breath in the next year.Cut leaves with pinpoint accuracy
Cleansing dead blooms is the first step in skilled tulip pruning. In the second step, the leaves come into focus. If you remove the leaves in the lush green stage, you rob the spring flowers of a valuable energy reserve. Long after the flowering period has ended, tulip leaves are still full of reserves that should not be wasted. How to do the second stage correctly:
- Do not cut off green tulip leaves
- Wait until the foliage has yellowed and died
- Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet that has been drawn in close to the ground
Please do not wait to cut until a tulip leaf can be plucked. In this condition there is a risk of rot because the plant tissue is softened. The exact time has come when the green leaf color has turned into a morbid yellowish-brown.
Ideal solution: summer and cut
Summer is the trickiest season for tulips. Instead of remaining deep in the ground, sensitive noble varieties should spend the summer above ground. Moving to summer quarters is also recommended if dying tulips impair the well-cared-for appearance in the bed or if the flower bulbs could be damaged during planting work in May. Knives or scissors are only used at the end of the procedure. How to proceed correctly step by step:
- Take out the tulip bulbs after flowering when the leaves are wilting
- Do not cut off stems and leaves
- Get onions out of the ground with a hand shovel or digging fork
- Place in a box with sand, peat grease or potting soil
- Store in a dark, cool and dry location until September
Tulip bulbs spend the summer time only apparently in a dormant state. In fact, there is a lot going on inside the plant. Nutrient reserves are continuously shifted from the foliage to the bulbs in order to create energy stores for the next flowering period. For this reason, do not cut off the stems and leaves until the planting time for over-summered tulip bulbs begins in autumn.
Tips
Tulip bulbs in their summer quarters should be protected from light and heat. So that the flower bulbs do not sprout prematurely, a dark basement room offers ideal conditions with temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius. A close-meshed wire prevents voracious mice from attacking the juicy onions.
Cut the tulips for the vase
Spring vase jewelry for the home is a common reason to cut tulips. If you take some important aspects to heart in the procedure, you can enjoy the charming flower symphony for up to ten days. Choose primarily strong stems on which solidly colored and tightly closed flowers are enthroned. Have a sharp, clean knife handy or bypass scissors for a smooth cut of the stems. How to cut tulips correctly for the vase:
- The best time is during the morning hours
- Tulips for the vase cut must not be wet or damp
- Cut off the stem at the base
- Remove leaves that may come into contact with vase water
- Cut off a piece from the end of the handle (optionally at an angle or straight)
The cut exposes the ducts so that the water can rise to the flowers. Regular water changes are important for squeaky freshness. Soft, lime-free water with a splash of lemon juice will please your tulips very much. Take this opportunity to trim the stems to keep the supply lines from clogging.
Mowing the wild tulip meadow instead of cutting it
To create a lavish meadow of flowers, wild tulips are the first choice. Once the onions are in the ground, they want to multiply undisturbed with the help of brood onions and seeds. In this case, you can remove the time-consuming cleaning of dead flowers from the care plan.
Wait patiently for all of the leaves to turn yellow and dead. The lawnmower takes care of the pruning of a wild tulip meadow. Set the cutter bar to the highest level so that you don't accidentally pull the onions out of the ground.
frequently asked Questions
Are tulips hardy?
Tulips thrive with a frost-resistant bulb, from which herbaceous stems with colorful flowers rise in spring. After the first frost at the latest, all above-ground parts of the plant will die, unless they have already been cut off. Deep in the ground, tulip bulbs not only survive the cold season without damage. Winter cold stimulus is even the decisive trigger for a vital shoot and a splendid flowering period.
Are tulips poisonous?
Tulip bulbs contain a toxin which, if eaten in large quantities, can trigger typical symptoms of poisoning, such as nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps. Tulipanin is also responsible for unpleasant eczema when the toxin comes into contact with the skin. Please do not store tulip bulbs near kitchen onions to avoid mix-ups. Wearing gardening gloves prevents allergic reactions during maintenance and planting work.
When is the best time to cut tulips for the vase?
Cut tulips for the vase when the flower heads are colored through and are still tightly closed. Late morning is the best time for morning dew to evaporate. Do not put the spring flowers in the vase until you have cut each stem at the bottom. With a sharp knife, cut a 3 to 5 cm long piece at an angle or straight to expose the ducts.
Are the clippings suitable for propagation?
Wilted tulip flowers should be cleaned before seeding. This makes sense, as the waiting period from sowing the seeds to the first flowering period can be up to six years. You cut leaves and stems when they are dead, so that no reproduction is possible in this way. If, on the other hand, you take a look at an unearthed tulip bulb in autumn, with a little luck you will discover several daughter bulbs. Manually separate the bulbs from the mother onion so that they can be planted in the new location.
Do tulips and roses go together?
The growth habit and bloom of tulips and roses couldn't be more different. At the same time, the herbaceous signs of spring and shrubby summer beauties harmonize wonderfully. The primary reason for the floral unanimity is that the root systems do not interfere with each other because tulips have shallow roots and roses deep. It is important to note that there is sufficient planting distance of 20 to 30 centimeters, as rose petals will sprout when tulips are still in full bloom.
The 3 most common mistakes
Tulips lose their magical radiance when withered flowers linger on the stems for far too long. If you cut off the green leaves when cleaning out to save time, you will be looking in vain for colorful tulip blossoms next year. For an unrestricted tulip season indoors and outdoors, the following table draws attention to three common pruning errors and provides tips for prevention:
| Cutting errors | Damage | prevention |
|---|---|---|
| withered flowers not trimmed | uncontrolled self-sowing, declining willingness to flower | Cut off dead flowers at the base |
| cut off green leaves | no further flowering period | Let the leaves turn yellow and then cut them |
| Cut flowers not cut | short shelf life | Cut the stem ends first, then place them in the vase |
Tips
The right combination of varieties is essential for a long tulip season. The starting signal is given by wild tulips, the flowers of which open from March. Mid-season varieties take over the floral baton, such as Triumph tulips or Darwin hybrids. Late-blooming tulip varieties such as Viridiflora-Tulipa are ready for a furious season finale.
