can tulips be moved anytime?

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A friend of mine wanted me to ask when it is the right time to dig tulips to be moved? We are in central NC.

Thanks, Trudy

-- TD Matheny (theny@intrex.net), April 22, 2002

Answers

It has been my experience (NY) that you can move them at anytime, when they'll bloom after that, is the question. You might have a year or two wait for flowers if you move them now.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), April 22, 2002.

The leaves gather energy for the next year, so don't cut them off until they've died. Then you can move your bulbs & they have the energy to bloom next year wherever you plant them.

-- heather (h.m.metheny@att.net), April 22, 2002.

TD, as soon as the petals drop off, I cut off all stems which causes all energy to be directed to the bulbs. The plants are then left to store energy for about 3 weeks and then the bulbs are lifted and stored in the basement for fall planting. As long as they have the 3 weeks to build up enough reserve, they come back the next spring with all of the glory that they had before without missing a season of blooms. If your tulips have just finished blooming, hold off digging for another 3 or 4 weeks for best results.

-- Martin Longseth (paquebot@merr.com), April 22, 2002.

I agree with Heather. I've always heard with bulbs that if you are going to dig them up to wait until the leaves have dried up in order for the plant to have the energy for the next years blooming. But, on TV I watched a show on Iris and they were separating clumps when they were still green but not blooming. Maybe Iris are different, I wondered about it at the time.

-- cindy palmer (jandcpalmer@sierratel.com), April 23, 2002.

I've always followed, that plants that bloom in the spring should be planted in the fall, plants that bloom in the fall should be planted in the spring. Just mark the tulips you want to dig up with popsicle sticks and that way you know where they are when you want to dig them up.

-- Harmony (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002.


Tulips should wait until dormat to save up their stored energy or they may not recover from the loss, even being nicked by a shovel can cause damage they won't recover from and iris ARE different they can suvive all most anything. If you plan to move bulbs etc, it is good to feed them very well the season before.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), April 24, 2002.

If you cut the stems like Martin does, don't cut the leaves off, just the flower stalk itslef. I just fold them over so they don't show because if the stalk is very fresh it can bleed sap and that will weaken the blub more, and if you can't wait to move them, dig a big clump of soil with them and they can keep growing even in a pot.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), April 24, 2002.

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