Cut off wilted tulips in 2 stages - this is how it works
In spite of the deplorable appearance, not all life has given way to your tulips after flowering. In fact, activities towards continued existence are now in full swing. The ovary of a pollinated flower increases in volume to produce the seeds. Since this process is extremely exhausting, it should be stopped. The foliage initially has an important function, so that professional care includes pruning in stages. Thats how it works:
- Cut off the flower cups immediately after they have faded
- Let the rest of the plant stand
- Only cut the leaves close to the ground when they have completely yellowed and dried up
also read
- How should tulip bulbs be treated after flowering?
- Caring for tulips properly - this is how it works before, during and after flowering
- How does the tulip bloom last as long as possible?
The tulip invests all its energy in growing the bulbs and not in seed pods. This is entirely in our favor, as propagation with daughter onions is much more straightforward than the laborious and tedious sowing. The leaves make an important contribution to this. These are bulging with nutrients that are no longer needed for seed growth. The rich plant sap is instead diverted into the bulb to create a deposit for the next flowering period.
Do not stop maintenance immediately after it has faded
After flowering, don't let your tulips down while they are eager to present you with numerous daughter bulbs for the offspring. With the right care you can already set the course for the flower festival next spring. The gradual cutback is only a partial aspect of the program. We have summarized for you what else is important here:
- After flowering, fertilize tulips with compost and horn shavings
- Add some liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water in the pot and balcony box
- If it is dry, continue to water until you can cut the leaves
You can either leave the tulip bulbs in the ground or take them out of the ground to summer over them. Wrapped in newspaper, in a box with peat waste, sawdust or sand, the flower bulbs linger in the dark, cool cellar. This is particularly useful if you are planning a change of location due to soil fatigue. In order for tulips to retain their vitality, they should be transplanted every 3 to 4 years.
Tips
Wondering how gardeners get their tulips to bloom at Christmas time? This can be done very easily by exposing suitable flower bulbs to cool temperatures between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius for 12 to 16 weeks. Then place the tulip bulbs in special vases in which only the roots are in the water. After another 4 weeks at 15 degrees Celsius in the bright location, place the tulips on the warm window sill to enjoy the flowers.
