About the dates for digging up tulips after flowering

It's worth mentioning right from the start of this article that digging up tulip bulbs after flowering is not at all necessary. Forgetting to do so or simply being lazy won't do any harm. However, experienced gardeners recommend digging up tulip bulbs every year. Let's find out why.

If you understand the correct dates and process for digging up tulips after flowering, they will bloom vigorously and prolifically, and even reproduce for many years to come. Much depends on the variety, of course. For example, early tulips, suitable for growing in the central part of our country, do not require annual digging. But for ornamental varieties, this is an extremely important process that cannot be ignored. This will help. 2015 gardening calendar for the Moscow region.

A little botany: why dig up

Every year, the tulip bulb renews itself. This means the flower gradually forms a new bulb, which replaces the old one. Only this renewal allows the tulip to bloom the following year. Additionally, offspring can grow around the main bulb, which are suitable for propagating the flower.

Even if you're taking excellent care of your tulips, you still need to think about when to dig them up after they've bloomed in baskets or in the ground. Because the bulbs need space and nutrition. Without digging and proper wintering, flowering will become less frequent each year and eventually cease altogether. However, if you properly dig up the bulbs each year, store them properly, and plant them correctly, the tulip will bloom year after year without losing its decorative qualities.

Important! If tulips aren't dug up, the bulb will sink deeper into the soil each year. This doesn't happen with all tulips, but it's typical for tulips. The deep soil harbors many parasitic larvae, which can begin to actively develop on the bulb. Also, sinking deep into the soil prevents the bulb from producing daughter bulblets, making the flower unsuitable for propagation.

All this leads gardeners to believe that valuable tulip varieties, whose flowers are distinguished by their excellent decorative qualities during flowering, must be dug up. This should be done every year. The quality of the soil in which you will replant the bulbs in the spring is also important. Soil previously used for growing cucumbers or carrots is not suitable.

When and how to dig

We've discussed the importance of digging up the bulbs. Now we need to consider when to dig up tulips after flowering outdoors. When more than half the leaves have turned yellow, you can think about digging them up. It's important to do this in the morning on a dry day.

Advice! Don't dig up the bulb when all the leaves have already turned yellow. Under these conditions, the bulb will crumble, and part of it may be left unnoticed and left in the ground. Obviously, a deformed tulip bulb may not bloom at all the following year.

If the tulips are early, they can be dug up when most of the leaves have dried out. Late varieties, however, can be dug up when the leaves are just beginning to dry. Speaking of specific dates, when to dig up tulips after flowering, then this is done at the end of June or the very beginning of July (for late varieties).

How to properly store bulbs

After digging up the flowers, they need to be stored properly. First, follow the standard storage preparation process: soak the bulbs in a light solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. Leave the leaves in place; they'll easily separate from the bulbs after soaking.

Once all the leaves have died back, the bulb will become golden and firm. This is the time when the bulb gathers strength and sap: it's during this period that the flower begins to produce flower stalks for next year. Keep the storage room at 20°C (68°F). During the first few months, the bulb needs warmth, but after that, it can even be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Now it's clear how and when to dig up tulips after flowering. While this isn't necessary for early wild tulips, it is for decorative flowers the procedure is simply necessary.