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Post by Ron on May 13, 2016 7:40:44 GMT
We have a small local gardening group on Facebook and someone has asked about growing bulbs, particularly tulips. They get no flowers after the first year. Is this common and do you know what to do about it? Does it make a difference where you buy them from?
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Post by Rosefriend on May 13, 2016 8:20:38 GMT
We have a small local gardening group on Facebook and someone has asked about growing bulbs, particularly tulips. They get no flowers after the first year. Is this common and do you know what to do about it? Does it make a difference where you buy them from? The Botanical tulips tend to last quite a few years but these days I buy cheap and cheerful and throw them away after they have flowered, plus I always have them in tubs nowadays.. I have done the "dig them out, let them die off and re-plant in Autumn " bit, - also the Monty Don "6 inches deep and they come again" bit, feeding them (waste of fertilizer) and last year the voles got all but 2 of the Botanical tulips and I also still had two tulips that I have had flowering for the last 6 years...still haven't worked out why they are alive!! |
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Post by Ron on May 13, 2016 13:06:01 GMT
We have a small local gardening group on Facebook and someone has asked about growing bulbs, particularly tulips. They get no flowers after the first year. Is this common and do you know what to do about it? Does it make a difference where you buy them from? The Botanical tulips tend to last quite a few years but these days I buy cheap and cheerful and throw them away after they have flowered, plus I always have them in tubs nowadays.. I have done the "dig them out, let them die off and re-plant in Autumn " bit, - also the Monty Don "6 inches deep and they come again" bit, feeding them (waste of fertilizer) and last year the voles got all but 2 of the Botanical tulips and I also still had two tulips that I have had flowering for the last 6 years...still haven't worked out why they are alive!! Maria, the lady that asked the question, has some tulips that are just leaves for the third year running. She's decided to give up on them, I think, I'm not surprised. I was going to save mine but I think I'll just keep the double ones and see what happens. It seems to be the trend nowadays, matches our throw away society I suppose. They must be bred that way so that they can sell more. |
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Post by Rosefriend on May 13, 2016 13:28:34 GMT
The Botanical tulips tend to last quite a few years but these days I buy cheap and cheerful and throw them away after they have flowered, plus I always have them in tubs nowadays.. I have done the "dig them out, let them die off and re-plant in Autumn " bit, - also the Monty Don "6 inches deep and they come again" bit, feeding them (waste of fertilizer) and last year the voles got all but 2 of the Botanical tulips and I also still had two tulips that I have had flowering for the last 6 years...still haven't worked out why they are alive!! Maria, the lady that asked the question, has some tulips that are just leaves for the third year running. She's decided to give up on them, I think, I'm not surprised. I was going to save mine but I think I'll just keep the double ones and see what happens. It seems to be the trend nowadays, matches our throw away society I suppose. They must be bred that way so that they can sell more. I think the "dig them out, let them die off and re-plant in Autumn " bit is worth trying Ron, for your doubles and perhaps Maria could look at that way or some Botanical tulips - they do come up every year, certainly for a few years at least. I gave up with tulips years ago Ron and the damn Voles have taken the Botanical ones as well now... I hope others have an idea or two on hand... |
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Post by Tig on May 13, 2016 14:25:18 GMT
If grown in containers and left they rarely flower the year after they've performed as all their flowering energy is in the bulb when you buy them and there isn't enough nutrients left in the container to rebuild the bulb the following season. If you plant the entire contents of the container in the garden, compost and all, then you may be lucky enough to get a good display the year after, that has happened to me this year.  If planted directly into the ground, at least four inches deep, preferably 6", in a sunny position, mine come up year on year, these have been in for at least 3 years, but I also have very free draining soil.  |
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Post by Ron on May 13, 2016 14:45:40 GMT
Thanks, Tig, I'll pass that on to her. |
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Post by Ladygardener on May 14, 2016 7:20:37 GMT
Ron, A lot of mine go to the allotment after they're taken out of their pots and many do bloom well in subsequent years in the ground but it depends a lot on which type. As Rosefriend says, you have a good chance with the botanical ones but like Tig I've been lucky to get lovely shows year on year. I do feed them, as soon as they start blooming and fertilise the ground they go into as well. I know Jilly's Mum has some that come back every year too. Having said all that, I buy tons of Tulips every year as I like to have lots of pots of them in bloom here at home for a couple of months and it's the only way which is reliable for me. Some I do throw out again as I'd need acres of ground to put them all. 
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Post by Ron on May 14, 2016 8:13:23 GMT
I've passed the info on to Maria, the lady concerned, thanks Ladygardener. As for myself, I think I'll be looking for somewhere to rent with a garden, perhaps in the autumn. I need more space.  |
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Post by Jilly on May 14, 2016 10:59:47 GMT
Sounds like a good plan Ron,  I always buy fresh tulip bulbs every year for my pot displays, as I find that they don't flower reliably in the next year. I do though, plant out the finished bulbs anywhere I can. It's a bit of a trade off of time & effort really, I don't get much flower the first year but by the second quite a few establish & flower for a few years after that. I would probably get more, but as I'm planting them out in early June, they have to go in any gap I can find (which isn't easy) so they're either in quite inhospitable spots or not planted deep enough. I think it does depend quite a lot on variety too. |
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Post by Ron on May 14, 2016 14:35:52 GMT
Jilly, I've had to sacrifice many of the bulbs anyway due to reducing the number of pots to please the landlord, but if I do get another place with a garden, this is advice I'll follow.
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