At the end of their flowering period, tulips have completely exhausted themselves. However, it is much too restless in the summer garden soil for a well-deserved break, because here people are constantly planting, raking, weeding and watering. It is better to oversummer your tulip bulbs above ground. Read here how to skilfully store the tubers until autumn.

Tulip bulbs should be dug up and cleaned for the summer

Proper storage requires this chronology of preparation

So that the tulip bulbs don't go to their summer camp completely exhausted, they have to fill up the empty energy stores beforehand. The required nutrients are within reach in the leaves; nevertheless, it requires a little patience from the gardener until the energy is transferred to the inside of the bulb. How to handle the process with expertise:

  • Cut off wilted flower heads in a timely manner to avoid wasting energy on seed growth
  • Wait until all the leaves have yellowed and drawn in
  • Carefully dig up the tulip bulbs with a digging fork or a hand shovel
  • Cut off the withered leaves with a sharp knife

The tubers are cleaned with a rough-haired brush. Damaged or rotten specimens are sorted out as they are not suitable for storage.

This is how tulip bulbs get through the summer healthy

Summer quarters for tulip bulbs should be cool and airy. Under these conditions, the enduring organ of a tulip goes into restful growth dormancy. We have put together the best ideas for an adequate storage space for you here:

  • Wrap each flower bulb in air-permeable, thin fleece
  • Fill a box with dry sand or peat dust to store the tulip bulbs in
  • Lay the tubers out on an air-flushed wire rack
  • Store tulip bulbs in a wooden box lined with paper

The regeneration in the summer camp runs smoothly when it is dark and dry here. A temperature level of 5 to 10 degrees Celsius is ideal. Please make sure that the onion skins do not touch. A check is recommended every 2 weeks to sort out moldy flower bulbs.

tips

Late-blooming tulip varieties are far from having their foliage in May. To make room for summer planting, dig up the wilted tulip bulbs with the green leaves. In a hidden niche in the garden, plant the bulbs in the ground again until the leaves can be cut off. The tulip bulbs then move into their summer camp with bulging energy depots.

Category:

Vegetable garden