Tulip Bulbs Covered with Weeds - Can They Be Saved?
Question:I planted fifty tulip bulbs in my garden last fall. They blossomed beautifully this Spring. I planned to pull the bulbs up again this fall, split them, and replant. The problems is that weeds have overtaken the garden so badly that I would have trouble finding the tulips. Any suggested strategies?
Answers:
Just dig thats all you can do, or water the flower beds and then start pulling the weeds out and then dig the ground will be softer and easier to work with. If Ihave to pull weeds I do the same thing water the garden and then pull.
Tulips can often be left in the garden for 3-4 years before they need dividing. When the blooms start getting small, it is time to dig and divide.
So I would just leave them where they are and enjoy them next year.
Tulips do tend to make a lot of offset bulbs, which can drain energy from the "mother" bulb and decrease flowering next spring. Still, since you just planted them last fall, you will probably get a decent display from them next spring even if you just leave them.
If you want to dig them up, cut back all the weeds with a string trimmer or a hoe. Then just start digging. (You may be surprised to find the bulbs a bit deeper that you planted them; the roots actually have the ability to pull the bulbs deeper into the soil.)
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