Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: shokkyy on June 03, 2013, 14:47
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This is the first time I've ever done a few tulip bulbs in pots, for a bit of early colour. Now they've finished, is it better to leave the bulbs where they are or to lift them, dry them off and store them for next year?
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I always leave them wherever they are to let the leaves brown and finish. The bulb still needs moisture from the roots and soil/mix to prepare itself so pulling them now to dry off will diminish overall bulb vigour. Once the leaves are dryish and brown, you can pull and store them.
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Most of mine already are brown, so I guess I'll lift them now.
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Leave them alone, they need to be baked by the sun.
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What, the bulbs? Wouldn't they be baked more if I lifted them and put them on a shelf in the greenhouse to dry?
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I would not use the greenhouse as it can get quite humid in there and the bulbs could go mouldy - if you really want to lift them now a dry shed or garage would be better.
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No, my greenhouse doesn't get humid cos there's too many panes of glass missing :)
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:lol: - you do not need auto vents then.
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About all it's good for is drying onions and garlic and cooking chilli plants :)
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I know they want drying but not sure they want baking/cooking under glass - I leave mine in the pots and just move them somewhere out of the way for the summer ;)
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They originate from Asia where they grow near the surface and get baked by the sun, if you lift them make sure the leaves have fully dried off first.
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Don't know what type pf tulips you have, but not all tulip types will do well in subsequent years if they flower at all. You can lift them once the leaves have gone brown as they are then dormant until autumn. Wash/remove all soil off them, let them dry out thoroughly and store them in a cool, dry airy place..A brown paper bag or old shoebox are ideal. Between now and autumn you should check all the bulbs for any mould fortnightly. That is the biggest problem when storing them. If they get mouldy they'll be useless.
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I never lift mine. they are in the border and about 10 inches deep, flower wonderfully every year.
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I've given up on putting bulbs in the border. The only ones that survive my wet clay soil are the tiny ones like anemones and crocus. Anything bigger just rots. I thought this year I'd try a few in pots to brighten the place up in spring, but now they've died back I want to lift them and reuse the pots for chilli plants while the tulips have a well-earned rest :)
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All my tulips are in pots, which they share with hostas. Just as the tulips die back the hostas take over.