Proper management of the tulip plant after the petals drop is directly linked to the health of the underground bulb and the success of the following year’s color. Following a clear, step-by-step process, gardeners can ensure the plant’s energy is efficiently redirected. This maximizes the chances for a beautiful rebloom or prepares the bulbs for storage.
Removing the Spent Flower Head
The first step once the tulip petals have fallen is to remove the spent flower head, a process known as deadheading. This action halts the plant’s reproductive cycle before it produces seeds. Allowing the tulip to develop a seed pod redirects significant energy away from the bulb, where resources for next season’s growth are stored.
To deadhead, simply snap or snip off the faded flower and the developing seed capsule at the top of the stem. Leave the main flower stalk intact, removing only the withered bloom. The green stem and attached leaves must remain to continue producing food for the bulb. This ensures the plant’s focus shifts from reproduction to resource accumulation, benefiting the bulb’s size and vigor.
Caring for the Foliage
After deadheading, the remaining foliage manufactures the energy needed for the bulb’s survival and rebloom. The green leaves absorb sunlight through photosynthesis, converting that energy into starches and sugars stored in the underground bulb. Cutting the leaves back too early is the most common mistake, as it starves the bulb of this necessary energy reserve.
The foliage should be allowed to wither and die back naturally, a process that typically takes six to eight weeks after flowering. The leaves will gradually turn yellow, then brown, indicating that the energy transfer to the bulb is complete and the plant has entered dormancy. Only when the foliage is fully brown and easily pulled away from the ground should it be cut back to the soil level. Resist the temptation to fold, tie, or braid the leaves while they are still green, as this practice diminishes the leaf surface area exposed to the sun.
Options for the Bulb
Once the foliage has completely died back and been removed, the gardener faces a choice: either leave the bulb in the ground to naturalize or lift and store it until fall replanting.
Naturalizing Bulbs
Naturalizing works best for certain varieties, such as species tulips and Darwin Hybrids, which are inclined to return reliably each year. For successful naturalizing, the planting site must offer excellent drainage and receive a sufficient period of cold weather during the winter.
Lifting and Storing Bulbs
Many gardeners choose to lift and store hybrid varieties that tend to decline in performance after the first year, or if the planting area is needed for summer annuals. To lift the bulbs, carefully dig them up once the foliage is gone, gently shake off the soil, and allow them to dry, or cure, in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space for a few days. After curing, the bulbs should be cleaned, removing any remaining roots or loose tunics. Store them in a paper bag or mesh net at a temperature around 60 to 65°F until they are replanted in the fall.