Tulips

I wouldn't transfer them now because you'll stress them and a stressed plant is not a big, blooming plant. Let them bloom where they are, then after both the bloom dies AND the leaves shrivel up and die on their own (early summer) you can move them any time between then and the fall. The leaves have to die on their own because the absorb the sunlight and that's how the bulb makes food for next year. If you cut the leaves off, or stress the plants by moving them before that process is complete, you might not get them to bloom as well again next year. That said, tulips generally don't bloom well for more than a couple of years anyway, so if you like tulips, plant some every fall to that you're disappointed with lousy blooms in the spring from old bulbs.

@Tracy K those ones that they sell potted up are not really good plants to put in your yard. They're really designed to be used in the pot (or transferred to another pot for indoor arrangements) and just last this season. Because their bloom has been forced, they are already stressed anyway and won't do well in the yard next year. The best tulips blooming outdoors were planted there to begin with and have never been forced.

You should leave them until the fall before the first frost. For now once they bloom just dead head them and leave them.

I know people say wait until late fall, but that's just for routine maintenance. You know each year they grow a new root bulb and you are supposed to remove the old one. I never have unless digging them up to move them.

The way I look at it, right now they are selling them in a small pot for you to take home and bury in the ground. That's transplanting, right? So, what's wrong with digging them up and moving them to another part of the yard? I would dig up a huge area of the dirt they are in with the root ball. That way you dont lose any of the root and it's not such a shock when you transplant. They also sell a Miracle Gro Transplant solution that helps prevent root shock.

You are lucky they still bloom. Oct. Nov. Dec Buy Darwin hybrid tulips, Pink impression, highly recommended, plant 6-8 inches deep in Oct or Nov. 100 6 inches apart.and you will have the best display of flowers apr. 26 to may 1 st. , in the county! One good source John Scheepers catalog. B. ____@____.com erizon ask me! I'm a normal friendly person even though I live in Massachusetts United states. Fall Onlyif transplants are possible if you dont have a few dollars to buy new tulips.

It would be best to wait until the fall, but any time after they bloom would be fine - just be a little bit more caring. Adding a bulb booster to the soil will help with the transplant. Good luck.

Hi Rachel, this happens to us too. Everytime I put some bulbs in, the squirrels dig half of them up and bury them somewhere else.

I HAVE moved tulips successfully. I waited til after they bloomed, and ALL the foliage turns yellow, dug them up and put them somewhere else. Put a little fertilizer down in with the bulbs, if they have baby bulbs attached, separate them.

Happy Spring! (Still snow in our yard in upstate NY, bleck!)

:)

Yes, fall is best for moving or planting bulbs. They are dormant then.