Tulip lifting and storage

narelleinhenley

Hi, could you please advise on how to lift and store tulips from pots. I want to use the pots for summer plants. Thanks 

Completerookie

Im not lifting mine and putting my summer bedding plants on top of tulip bulb with a fresh layer of compost. No idea if thats correct?? 

amancalledgeorge

You can get them stored in a spare pot as they should come out as a nice clump and then add more fresh compost and a dash of fertiliser for summer annuals. You'd want to let them die back naturally if you want to reuse them next year. Or you can treat them as annuals and throw them in your green waste bin. 

AnniD

I find that if they're left in pots, they put don't put on such a good show in following years. I believe the species types are the exception. 
Personally l would buy new tulip bulbs in the Autumn , but you could plant them in the garden if you are able to 

Hostafan1

Mine are going into the compost bins this year. 
I've kept them before and the best I can say is they're ok ish in the second year, but I'd rather free up the pots and spend a few quid on nice fresh bulbs in the autumn.

Fairygirl

I wouldn't plant annuals on top, unless they like the exact conditions tulips do. 
Most don't perform well in subsequent seasons as it's difficult to give them the conditions they need after flowering, in most areas of the UK.
The species ones are reliable, and will increase, and a few other types are reasonable in some areas. Otherwise, they're rarely worth keeping.  

narelleinhenley

Thanks so much all.  I am going to try putting them in a different container to keep for replanting later. Can’t bear the thought of putting them on the compost heap as they were so beautiful. 

Many thanks again. 

Busy-Lizzie

Monty Don said on Gardeners' World that he re-plants his in a wild bit of garden. It looked lovely. Tulips never flower so well after the first year, but they flower better if you plant them deep. Most people use them as annuals.

narelleinhenley

Ok, thanks v much

ciaranmcgrenera

How does one tell if one’s Tulips are “species”? Does that refer to named varieties like Helmar or Finola?

dappledshade

ciaranmcgrenera said:

How does one tell if one’s Tulips are “species”? Does that refer to named varieties like Helmar or Finola?

Normally species varieties (not just of tulips) are named as so. They are simply the non hybridised, original versions.