belle
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:07 am

Tulip bulb help!

I am a new gardener, just married, with my first house.

My husband and I planted about 60 tulip bulbs and they were all peeking their little heads out...we were overjoyed! We woke up last weekend to find that deer (we live in the country) had eaten every last one of them...every last one!

My question: Can I dig them up and replant them next fall? When is the best time to dig them up? Is storing them in my refrigerator in a drawer the best place to keep them? Any help would be warmly appreciated!

Thanks,
belle

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Gnome
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Posts: 5122
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

Belle,

Welcome to the forums. Consider this before you dig them; bulbs go through a cycle where this years green foliage fuels next years flower development. If the bulbs have not had a chance to "do their thing" this year then they will not perform well, if at all, next year.

If you dig them now you may be "adding injury to insult." Your real problem, in the short term, is stopping the deer from eating them again if the come back up.

Sorry, I know that this does not really help all that much but perhaps someone else can offer more.

Norm

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Belle,

Congratulations on your marraige, your new home and welcome to The Helpful Gardener! Gnome is correct about your tulips. Deer just love them so you'll need to protect them when they sprout again. You can get deer netting that you can lay on the ground in the fall. As the tulips emerge the netting should stay on top of the tulips. I warn you though, the deer will eat whatever leaves peak out of the netting. :shock:

I doubt the leaves will reappear this year. It would be best to just leave them in the ground. Some tulips return year after year and some don't do well and are grown as annuals. The leaves feed the bulb for the following years bloom so yours may not bloom for another two years. They might just put out leaves next year without blooming, but if you protect them from the deer they might surprise you the year after that. Deer and other critters won't eat daffodils and you can plant different varieties that will bloom either early season, mid-season or late season.

It might be helpful for you to have a list of plants that deer tend not to eat. If they are hungry enough they'll eat almost anything. So, if you plan on doing more gardening let me know and I'll get you some lists.

Newt

belle
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:07 am

Thank you so much Gnome and Newt for the responses!

I live in zone 8 so most gardeners here use tulips as annuals. That's why I believe I may have to dig them up before the heat of our summers, but I'm not sure, anyone know? Or for my zone do I just mulch over them once the green turns yellow and keep them in the ground? You see tons of daffodils here, so I will definately try those next fall...and they come up year after year!

Tulips are one of my very favorite flowers...maybe I'll try potting them next year where I can keep a closer eye on them...and the deer...lol!

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Belle, you are so welcome! In zone 8 you can leave your tulips and other spring flowering bulbs in the ground all year. Just let the leaves turn yellow before removing. One hint about what to plant with them. It's best to have perennials growing in the bed to cover or hide the yellowing foilage. If you plant annuals they will need lots of water all summer. Most spring flowering bulbs prefer to be on the dry side when they're dormant.

If you can find a spot where the deer can't get to, here's a list of tulips that perennialize (return and multiply). I grow many of these species tulips and people always ask what they are. I'll also include other bubls too.
https://www.theplantexpert.com/springbulbs/Perennial.html
https://www.bulb.com/templates/dispatcher.asp?page_id=snw_article_public&item=100&tg=public

Newt



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