Faded tulips — How to save the plant until next season

Often, when tulips have already bloomed, many gardeners simply throw them away, although they can still be used effectively. Experienced gardeners told us what can be done with plants that have already completed their flowering period so as not to throw them in the trash.

Novyny.LIVE shares useful tips for gardeners.

What to do with tulips that have finished blooming

Step 1 — prune the flowers

Despite the fact that the flowers have faded, experienced gardeners do not recommend cutting off the leaves and stems immediately — they provide the bulb with all the nutrients it needs for proper growth and development.

Remember that you can only cut the stems of tulips when all the petals have fallen off. In this case, you can cut off the top of the stem so that the flower has the strength it needs to ripen the seeds.

Step 2 — watering and fertilizing flowers

Within two weeks of blooming, tulips should be watered and fertilized with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. During this period, the green mass on the plant still plays an important role in the process of photosynthesis. When the stems and leaves turn yellow, it means that photosynthesis is complete.

Step 3 — dig up the flowers

When you notice that the stems with the leaves are completely yellow and can be easily separated, you can safely dig up the bulbs. However, if the leaves are still attached to the plant, let it ripen for a while. Gardeners say that tulips need to be repotted every few years around the end of July.

Step 4 — remove rotten and damaged flowers

If you notice any tulips that are damaged or rotten, be sure to destroy them. The fact is that they could have become infected with bacteria or fungi. Treat healthy specimens in a solution of potassium permanganate and dry them in the open air.

Step 5 — planting the flowers

When the plant material is completely dry, place it in a dark and dry room where the air temperature is 23 °C (73.4 °F). Lower the temperature to 17 °C (62.6 °F) in August and to 15 °C (59 °F) in September.

In late September or early October, plant the bulbs with in the open ground.

Earlier, we wrote about the best fertilizer for tomatoes — when and how to apply.

As a reminder, earlier we told how to water radishes to make them grow large and juicy.