The tulip as duly noted in horticultural texts is a perennial flower. This means that a tulip should be expected to return and bloom year after year. But for all intents and purposes this isn’t always the case. Most tulip-lovers content themselves with treating it as an annual, re-planting again each fall.
At most times, when tulips do not bloom, they do not have the right climate or the environment to blossom. They adjust well to mountain temperatures where there are warm summers and cold winters. However, that will not be the weather condition in the plains. The trick is to grow them in an environment that is similar to that of mountains.
All flower bulbs, not just tulips, need phosphorus in order to form flower buds . If your soil is lacking phosphorus, your tulips will not bloom every year.
What happens to tulip bulbs after they bloom?
Tulip bulbs decline in vigor rather quickly. Weak bulbs produce large, floppy leaves, but no flowers. To maximize the number of years tulips are in bloom, choose planting sites that receive at least 6 hours of direct sun per day and have well-drained soils. Promptly remove spent flowers after the tulips are done blooming.
Too much water in the soil can cause tulip bulbs to rot away. Again, in this case, the bulbs have to be replaced. Choose a planting site that drains well and does not collect standing water for your new tulip bed. Home gardeners in some climates dig up their bulbs and store them in a cool, dry location to be planted again when the time is right.
How to regrow tulips?
Pick a spot to grow tulips. Most tulips do best with full sun, or at least 6 hours of sun each day. Many people choose to plant tulips along fences, walls, walkways and buildings, as they provide a pleasant burst of color and it is easy to control their growing pattern. If you wish to plant tulips in a pot, see this article for more detailed instructions.
A frequent inquiry we ran across in our research was “How often should you water tulips?”.
Watering these elegant plants takes the following format: After planting tulips deep in the ground, water the bulb thoroughly to start the cycle of the plant. Check the bulb weekly and water when the rain stops or doesn’t moisten the site. Don’t overwater to maintain a stable moisture level. When the tulips emerge, water if the surrounding soil is dry.