This question was asked by
– mike scott

I bought a lot of tulip bulbs from you, which have and still are outstanding!
I planted most in pots and would like to know what to do once they die back. Do I need to lift them or leave them? Will they re flower next season or will I need to re buy new bulbs? I have thought of leaving them in the pots to lift in the autumn then replant in the pots with fresh compost. Help please.

Rasta Parrot Tulip

How to care for Tulips once they have flowered

• Deadhead the flowers during the season before the petals fall off.

• After flowering has finished for the season leave the foliage in place, don’t cut it off. The leaves will gather sunlight, create food through photosynthesis and strengthen the bulbs for the future.

• By mid summer the leaves may yellow and die back. Foliage may be removed at this point.

• Some tulips flower well for one year and then need lifting out of the soil and carefully stored if you want to use them again. Once everything has fully died back, you can lift them and store them in a dark, dry, airy place over summer, allowing the air to circulate around them. They can then be replanted in the Autumn.

• For strong tulips, you can feed your tulips with a Slow Release Fertiliser in early Spring.

The Hart Family

This question was asked by
– Wanda

Good morning,
I received my tulip bulbs ordered earlier this year, thank you.
It seems that the recommended time for planting them is October/ November. I live in Kent and it’s still quite warm here (next week we’ll have a mini heatwave for 2 days…) What would you recommend? Is it ok to wait until October to plant them? If yes, can I store the bulbs in their original packaging? Or, is it ok to plant them now?
Kind regards, Wanda

Hi Wanda

We advise planting tulips after the first frosts to kill off any virus in the soil.
You can keep the tulips in their packaging in a cool dark place where they won’t get wet at all.
Hope this helps.

The Hart Family