tulip , Tulipaspp . , are lightbulb flowers suited to in USDA Hardiness zone 3 to 7 that grow well in full sun and fertile , well - draining land .

They are native to mountainous regions in and around Turkey , where the crude environs are cold , dry , and impractical .

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A close up horizontal image of bright red tulips growing in a garden border pictured in light filtered sunshine.

Red and yellow Darwin hybrids.

Many gardeners develop tulip as annuals , but botanically they are perennial with the potential to rebloom in consecutive geezerhood under ideal grow conditions .

Ourguide to grow tulipshas all you need to experience to develop your own at home .

This clause offers nine steer for acquire tulip bulbs to bloom more than once .

A vertical image of a large drift of different types of tulips in a garden border pictured in bright sunshine. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Here ’s the card :

9 Tips to Get Tulips to Rebloom

Let ’s get started !

The come after gratuity indicate activity you’re able to take to coax repeat flush from your preferred spring flowers .

1. Choose Wisely

The odds of a rebloom are in your favor when you choose botanical specie , educate form of metal money , or cross spawn for naturalization .

When a bulb naturalizes , it grow “ daughters ” beside it that bloom when they are fully fledged .

As original bulbs reproduce by producing daughters , their step in the garden enlarges . Large clumps split easily by lifting and separating them to found elsewhere .

A close up horizontal image of red and yellow tulips in full bloom in the spring garden.

In addition , letting a few flowers produce and scatter seeds after flowering may put up to their proliferation .

However , it takes age for the seeds to raise into mature plants with bulbs , and hungry garden herbivore may determine them first .

To naturalize to ensure repeat blossom , choose botanic specie like piddle lily , Tulipa kaufmanniana , Greigii , Tulipa greigii , and hybrids like Darwin , Empire ( aka Fosteriana ) , and Triumph .

A close up horizontal image of tulip bulbs set on the top of the soil in a dark plastic container.

Learn more about dissimilar type of tulips in our templet .

Naturalizing works should move over interchangeable results from year to class , while non - naturalizing miscellanea palaver to rebloom are likely to produce a less - showy display in serial years .

Note that if you receive flowers grow hydroponically ( in water ) or pot in territory as a gift , reckon upon the tension undergone during commercial processing , the bulbs may or may not have the vigor to rebloom .

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However , you ’ve got nothing to recede when you test the tips outlined below .

2. Deadhead Spent Blooms

Unless you are let a few seed fall from a tame type , as mentioned above , you ’ll want to deadhead all spend flowers .

Deadheadingis cutting off flowers after they blossom and before they pass . The purpose is to forestall seed from forming and to promote energy computer memory .

When a flower is languish , use cleanprunersor garden scissor grip to slice up through its shank as low to the ground as possible without damaging the surrounding foliage .

A horizontal image of the wide green foliage of tulips growing in the spring garden.

cut off at a 45 ° slant to help rain runoff .

Deadheading drop flower and stems makes the garden more attractive and directs vigour back to the bulb , increasing the likelihood of reblooming .

3. Ensure Ample Drainage

A common ground for a unsuccessful person to re - flower is poor drain , which leads to over- intensity and putrefaction .

Tulips opt loose , organically - robust territory . Theaddition of compostnot only adds nutrients , it aids in establish well - aerated grime bodily structure that permit piss to penetrate and excess to prevail off .

Another way to improve drainage is to work the soil to a depth of eight to 10 inch before sowing new lightbulb or resowing those that were revoke .

A close up horizontal image of a gardener digging up tulip bulbs after flowering.

Loosening the soil helps to alleviate compacting and upgrade wet percolation and drain .

And in the end , you could mound the soil above priming spirit level before sowing to further amend excess water runoff .

4. Fertilize Appropriately

New bulbs from the nursery are ego - contain vessels stop all the food they need to grow . There ’s no intellect to fertilize at planting time , but it normally does n’t hurt to give them a picayune boost .

likewise , if you are growing flower as annuals , buying new each year , and throw out the old , you do not require to feed them . But a nutritive boost is good if you require reblooming .

Theextension representatives at the University of Illinoisrecommendadding bone mealto the soil beneath the bulbs at declension planting time the first year . It adds Lucifer that kick upstairs stiff root formation .

A close up horizontal image of a gardener using a trowel to dig the soil before planting tulip bulbs.

In the fall in sequent years , they hint working bone meal and a well - balance fertilizer , such as one with a 10 - 10 - 10 N - P - K proportion , into the soil to sustain the bulbs for a repeat performance the following spring .

And in the bounce , they advise supporting foliar development with another program of balanced fertilizer , no bone repast required .

Nutritional supplementation go a long direction toward promoting vigor for repeat flowering .

5. Foil the Herbivores

In addition to consume seeds , herbivore pests like squirrels and groundhogs may junket upon bulbs .

One way to foil their exploit is to instal cages made of chicken wire or old screening . A commercially grow wire or plastic basket may also try out useful .

The field goal adds a worthful layer of protection from tunnel herbivores . And it ’s helpful in locate and lifting clumps for storage , as we ’ll discuss shortly .

Some user impart loose - weave telegram over the top for even greater deterrence .

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When sow in bulbs for the first time or in successive years , it ’s worth demand this superfluous step to protect them . Any fully consumed are lost all in all , and jaw one may never grow again .

6. Leave the Leaves Alone

Post - efflorescence , it ’s essential to allow the foliage to rest in place . The leaves are still alive , absorbing sunlight for that witching conversion to energy stored for next year ’s flowers .

Six to eight weeks of daily fair weather are call for for this essential phase of the tulip ’s life cycle . Without leaves to take up sunlight , bulbs de-escalate .

Plants that grow in full Sunday , whether in the garden or in container , are positioned perfectly for adequate sunshine soaking up .

However , if you have an indoor Easter - metre soil - filled pot or water supply - filled hydroponic vessel , you are probable to chance yours does n’t rebloom even after you follow the tips . Here are three reason why :

To give grime - potted or hydroponic bulbs the best prospect of come back :

When the last medium bounce Robert Frost particular date for your part make it , remove them from their container .

Deadhead the spend blooms per the above instructions .

inseminate the electric-light bulb in the garden for six to eight weeks of sun photograph per the planting directions we ’ll discuss below .

Once the sunlight period is complete , either wintertime over in the ground or follow the suggestion below for lifting .

7. Lift the Bulbs

Tulips are intrepid perennials that can winter over in the ground .

However , there may be danger hang around beneath the soil and untoward climate conditions that may prevent them from gain a intelligent comeback .

First are those hungry herbivore , and second is resist piss .

Poor drainage , excessive rain , andwatering the bulbsafter they polish off for the time of year can all cause rotting and a failure to reflower .

In addition , repetitious freezing and thaw may cause them to heave from the priming and freeze , particularly if planted shallowly , as we will discuss shortly .

To avoid these pitfalls , raise the medulla from the ground after the foliage have naturally withered to yellow or brown .

Do n’t wait until all the foliation pass off , or you might not be able to find the bulb – unless you brand the planting sites in advance .

Here ’s how to elevate :

Once lifted , memory per the directions below .

8. Provide Cold Storage

pick out a dark , dry fix for storage , like an unheated basement , garage , or shed .

overspread the bulbs out on newspaper in a exclusive layer and countenance them dry out for a week or more . Any remaining foliage should sprain browned and fall off during the drying period .

Once dry , store the bulbs inside an old stocking or meshing vegetable bag . As you dilute them into the traveling bag , divide them with slice of newspaper to keep them from touching .

Suspend the old bag from a hook or nail to tolerate air to circulate around and through it . Keeping the bulbs freestanding and promoting airflow inhibits rot .

We have more elaborate confidential information on airlift and storing tulip here .

9. Replant Deeply

Plant tulip at a astuteness three times the diameter of each bulb , or about four to six inch deep .

Shallower planting may result in wintertime heave , as cite .

When electric light rise to the soil surface , they become vulnerable to intense summer heat , moulder in the rain , wildlife consumption , and winter freeze .

fittingly deep planting is a reblooming essential .

Tune-Up Your Tulips

With these tips , bulbs have an first-class hazard of regrow with heartiness in sequent eld .

Let ’s recap :

Be sure to buy varieties that are likely to arrive back , like botanical species , species cultivars , or hybrids bred for domesticate .

Support medulla oblongata rejuvenation by deadheading spent flower root word and all , and let the foliage remain in place post - bloom .

Lift and store to ensure the bulbs remain ironical and have an appropriate chilling period to induce quiescence .

And when it ’s clock time to resow , select a cheery , well - draining location , fertilize as guide , and plant deeply for good results .

recollect of these tips as tulip tune - ups . With regular maintenance , tulip species , specie cultivars , naturalizing hybrids , and even some modern cultivars forced for the holiday may yield three to five year of cheerful spring blossom – or sometimes more !

If you found this article informative and would wish tolearn more about tulip cultivation , we recommend the pursuit :

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Nan Schiller