Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Molly's Smart Question: Bringing Your Tulips Inside

First, way back in the Fall, plant your tulips en masse.  This way, if you cut some to grace a vase on your kitchen table, or favorite person's bedside, you will still have enough to be enjoyed in the yard.  

From my experience, when you cut the tulips, you usually don't get another bloom.  We do have some second-bloom tulips this year that have an additional bud coming up but it is much much smaller.  Tulips do better in climates with longer freeze spells than we get here in North Carolina.  But we have had great success so far.  One thing I've learned is don't listen to everything you're told about gardening.  Except here, right?

I digress.  Cutting your tulips.  I took some photos of the tulips in our garden right now.  Cut them while the buds are still "tight" not opened up where you can see the stamens inside like the photo below. 


Also, wait until the bud shows its color.  Below is a tighter bloom that would be perfect for cutting.


I would give this one another day for the color to become more evident before cutting.


One of my favorite things about tulips is their ability to keep growing taller in the vase after being cut!!  So allow for this when choosing your vase.  

5 comments:

carrie said...

Okay, I have a question. I'm from Phoenix where nothing grew and recently moved to the Pacific Northwest. Our tulips and hyacinths just barely popped up. Where exactly do I cut the flowers? Do I leave the rest to shrivel up at the end of the season or do I cut it all off? Another flower will grow back next year, right? Sorry, I'm clueless about gardening.

Ann said...

Jordan! I'm excited to read this new blog of yours. I think you've inherited Dad's green thumb.

VERY clever title, Moses 5:1?

Jordan said...

Carrie! We moved here from Phoenix! Therefore I know exactly where you're coming from (: Cut the flowers at the base of the stem (not the leaves). The leaves are what will feed the bulb after it is done producing. Leave the leaves until they die off. And, yes, another will grow back next year! The beauty of bulbs.

carrie said...

Yay! Thank you!

molly said...

Oooh, thanks! I should have had a more en masse attitude when we planted them last year. (I think we planted 5 and only 3 came up this year.) Only three tulips for the whole year? I'll plant more in the fall, like you say. As for now, I will cut 1 for the inside and leave 2 outside. It makes me laugh.