Unfortunately, forcing a bulb tends to take a toll on the bulb’s reserve of energy. Some kinds of bulbs can recover from forcing and go on to flower again, but tulips are less good at this. It’s fairly unlikely a tulip will flower again once forced, and a tulip bulb won’t stand being forced twice.
Tulips, hyacinths, and most other spring-flowering bulbs that have been forced indoors are usually discarded after flowering. Most won’t bloom again when planted outdoors.
Understand that you can’t force tulips multiple times. Unfortunately, forcing a bulb tends to take a toll on the bulb’s reserve of energy. Some kinds of bulbs can recover from forcing and go on to flower again, but tulips are less good at this.
What to do with tulips when they’re done blooming?
Move the pot to a place where it can get sunshine until the Tulip finishes flowering. Once-blooming stops, cut off the flowers to prevent new seeds from forming. Leave the foliage for now. Water the Tulip twice per week, but only when the surface soil is dry. Then water every other week with a balanced fertilizer.
Do tulips rebloom every year?
While the newer hybrids are very spectacular, they are far less likely to rebloom from year to year. The old fashions tulips (heirlooms) are more forgiving when it comes to getting the right environment and are more likely to bloom year after year.
Another common query is “Do tulips multiply every year?”.
They’re smaller, more delicate plants that are closer in appearance to their wild ancestors than the big tulips that have been developed through hybridizing. Species tulips not only return year after year, but they multiply and form clumps that grow bigger each year, a process called naturalizing.
When to buy tulip bulbs for forcing?
In the early fall, when spring bulbs are being sold, purchase some tulip bulbs for forcing. Make sure that they are firm and do not have any blemishes. Keep in mind that larger tulip bulbs will result in larger tulip flowers.