tulip bulbs

[metchley900]

I recently read about tulips and that they are not to be put into the same part of the ground each year. You are supposed to leave them out of a particular spot at least a year. Firstly is this correct. Secondly I have about 60 bulbs in my patch of garden and nowhere to put them if I can't use the same spot. How long can bulbs survive in a dry dark place.

[Newt]

I never heard of not planting tulips in the same spot each year! You can only leave them out of the ground for one season, so if you dug them out in the spring, best to plant them this fall. You might find this interesting. There are many tulips that you can leave in the ground and they will perennialize.

http://www.bulb.com/spring/perennialize.asp
http://www.theplantexpert.com/spring...Perennial.html

Newt

[mythreyi]

hi , im new to this site . i have a question too . i bought a bag of tulip bulbs from costco . since im in a townhome i have very limited garden space . i figure i might hav more bulbs than i have space to plant them . so can i store the remaining safely and use next season ? also once the tulips die after spring , can i plant seeds of other plants in the same area ? the bulbs that i bought are naturalizing . does that mean that they will rebloom every year ?

[Newt]

Hi Mythreyi,
You will need to plant your tulip bulbs as they won't live another whole year out of the ground. You might consider sharing them with a neighbor.

If you have tulips that naturalize, that means that they will come back every year and even spread and make more so you won't have to dig them out. You can plant perennial or annual plants on top or around them (careful when you dig so you don't dig them up or pierce the bulbs) or you can plant seeds on top. It's best to have some plants around or on top of the bulbs so the new emerging foilage will cover the yellowing foilage of the tulips. You will need to let the leaves of the tulips stay until they yellow as they will be feeding the bulbs for the following years blooms. Take a look here for some helpful info.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/project...fterBloom.html
http://www.extension.umn.edu/project...intheFall.html
http://www.extension.umn.edu/project...minishing.html
http://www.theplantexpert.com/spring...Perennial.html

Newt

[mythreyi]

thanks newt . now im all set for planting !!! :P

[Newt]

You are very welcome! Hope I didn't keep you up all night reading.

Happy planting!
Newt