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jaimeg_gw

How to dig up bulbs and tulip blast

jaimeg
18 years ago

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I didn't see it in the FAQ...can I get a brief overview of what to do when I dig up my tulip bulbs?

By reading here, I've noticed that it seems to be the thing to do for the tulips because I have horrible clay soil. Also, I'm not sure if daff. need to be dug up as well? Are both kinds of bulbs prone to rot in clay?

I planted tulip and daff. bulbs last fall (when we first moved to a new house, in a new state) by digging a big hole and filling with top soil. This was not the original plan, but what I ended up doing when I discovered the awful soil! I was not up to the task once I found out how hard it is to dig in clay!!! I planted DAFFODIL SALOME, TULIP GREENLAND, TULIP APPLE BLOSSOM MIX from Brecks.

Also, some of the tulips looked like a picture I found online as "tulip blast." The flowers were all distorted. Can this happen one year, but get good flowers the next? We had weird weather so I blamed that, or are the bulbs bad?

Also, if I leave the daff., can I plant annuals over them?

I think that's all the questions I have! Sorry, I'm very new to using bulbs in my landscaping! Thanks for your time!

Comments (4)

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    I would just leave it all alone and call it experience.
    Brecks are not noted for their fine quality merchandise!
    You will not improve anything by digging it up and storing it over the summer.
    The bust tulips I ever had was when I dug out some hige hosta, filled the holes with top soil and planted Darwin tulips. They lasted almost 10 years before the critters got the better of them.
    Leave it all alone and plant some "good" tulips there next year. Those tulips that came up all distorted this year likely won't do much next year....and if they come up with just leaves....cut the leaves off.
    Linda C

  • jaimeg
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Oh geesh, I didn't think to doubt the source! So who sells "good" tulips? I guess I should have asked here before placing my order!

    Oh, and if I have decided that I'd like the tulips in a different spot (I'm changing all the beds around), would it be best to dig and store them or wait until fall to dig and move??

    BTW, I emailed Brecks about the problem (the distorted flowers, also the mix was supposed to be all pinks and it was about 1/2 pink and 1/2 yellows!) and they said that they will re-send the entire order this fall. We'll see, I guess!

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    If you wait until fall to dig, will you be able to find the bulbs without digging them and cutting tham?
    I don't know how many bulbs you are talking about....but my advice is to call it a loss and leave the bulbs where they are.....and if Breck does send new ones, well then that's good....maybe!! LOL!
    Leave the bad bulbs where they are and plant your new bed with new bulbs.
    Linda C

  • shrubs_n_bulbs
    17 years ago

    If your tulips are diseased you need to find out why. There are tulip disease which will persist and planting more is just throwing good money after bad. The symptom of distorted petals is typically down to poor bulb treatment the previous summer, possibly poor conditions over the winter, and occasionally insect damage. Diseases, other than tulip breaking virus, tends to affect the leaves quite badly.

    Lifting tulip bulbs over the summer is indeed a good thing to do if your climate and suitable are not ideal. Tulip bulbs in heavy soils can receive too much water over the summer which will cause them to be weak the following year. Or they may split excessively and never become large enough to flower. Hot humid climates seem to cause the same problems. You might want to leave some in the ground and lift others, just to see how well they do in your garden.

    If you are going to dig them at all then dig them now, or as soon as the leaves go yellow, and store them cool and dry over the summer. Replant them in November, or maybe October, once the soil has cooled down but before it freezes solid.

    You can plant annuals in the same area but it isn't ideal for the tulips. Some people deliberately overplant to hide the dying foliage. This is bad because the foliage needs maximum sunlight to recharge for next year. Beds with annuals also tend to get watered quite a lot over the summer, again not good for the tulips. These are two of the reasons why tulips often repeat poorly. If you are going to leave the bulbs in the ground and overplant, think about doing it fairly late to give the leaves as much sun as possible, and think about using plants that don't need extra water and fertiliser, like Cosmos or Iceplants.