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Lifting tulip bulbs

aureliecelerieraureliecelerier Posts: 157
in Plants
Hi everyone, 
I was wondering what is the best way to lift tulips.
After flowering, do you usually leave the bulbs into the ground and wait until the foliage get really yellow before lifting them?
Or can you lift them right after flowering while the foliage is still green and let them dry for a few days outside before storing them?
Sorry if this is a silly question...
Thanks lily

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    The foliage is the food factory and it needs to work for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks after flowering finishes in order to build up the bulb's energy for next year's flowers.  If you lift and leave to dry they'll just die. 

    If you're desperate to move them then water well, lift and re-plant in a quiet corner or in pots of good compost so they can die down naturally.  Otherwise, leave them where they are, give them a feed and just let other plants grow up around them. 

    Have to say that, unless they're species tulips, most don't do very well in a second year as they like to be good and dry and warm during the summer and most UK gardens can't offer that except in well-drained soils and rockeries.  They come from Turkey originally - little clue as to the conditions they like.  The Dutch, who produce most of them now, grow them in light, sandy, well-drained soils and they feed them.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Hi,

    What are species tulips and how do you know if yours are species as opposed to something else?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The species ones tend to be smaller and appear earlier - mine are in full bloom just now. There are lots of varieties Tinpot - if you take a look at one of the specialists like Peter Nyssen you'll get lots of info there about them, although they won't be available till autumn now.  :)
    Turkestanica is a good little one with creamy white flowers which open to show a bright yellow centre - like little fried eggs  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    They are often stunning and reliable repeaters.
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Mine came out with the daffs.  Spotted them at Howletts wildlife park too.  Couldn’t identify them with the book I got, “Bulb Expert”.  Kind of a feathery flower, very light purple. Nearly all faded now.
  • aureliecelerieraureliecelerier Posts: 157
    Thank you for all the responses! I planted them in large baskets so I could easily find the bulbs for lifting. So what I may do is lift the baskets, put them in a sunny corner of the garden and let the foliage die down for as long as necessary! 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited April 2018
    Good plan.   Do give them a feed and a drink.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Have to say that most of my ordinary tulips do seem to come back year after year, and increase to my surprise. Pink Parrot does particularly well, as does the orange Ballerina. That could perhaps be because we're in Bath, on a slope although we do have clay soil.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
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