What do I do with my tulips and daffodils after they have bloomed? Do I cut them back? Will they re-bloom?

All I have left are lovely green stems. If I cut those, will they bloom again, or is that it for the season? The same thing goes for my hyacinths.

What do I do with my tulips and daffodils after they have bloomed? Do I cut them back? Will they re-bloom?
Let them die naturally. The plants will store energy for next years growth. Some people, especially in commercially tended gardens will dig them up and store them for next year after they have finished blooming and replace them with the next round of flowers that will bloom during the summer.
Reply:Let them die back, if you cut them off you are depriving the bulb of food for the dormant summer period. Don't dig them up if you want to move them until about a month after all growth has died off, or in august or early september. After a few years, you will need to dig and separate to get bigger blooms, but you get more bulbs. I have over 500 of one of my tulips from dividing it.
Reply:Just let them go. Mine have been coming back for over 6 years now. Aren't they beautiful I love my Freesias the most.
Reply:What you do with them will depend on the region you live in. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are all bulbs. They bloom once a year. If you live in a region that gets all four seasons, that has a least 3 months of cold weather, they should regenerate on their own. Let the greens die off naturally. Daffodils do not require as much cold weather as tulips and hyacinths. Tulips love to be covered in snow, and even while they are blooming, you can put ice around them in place of watering to make them last a little longer. However, if you live further south, the bulbs will need help if you want them to bloom again. This would apply to certain types of lilies as well.



Allow the greens to die off, and then dig them up and let them dry out. The dead leaves should become brown and crispy. Do not pull these off, let them wrap around the bulbs for protection. Store them in a brown paper bag somewhere not too hot, and where they will not get wet. About 3 months before planting, store them in your refrigerator. Beware of moisture, though, as this could cause them to rot. Then, plant as usual and they should come up and bloom again. The blooms may not be as big as the previous year because they are being forced to bloom in an unnatural environment, but they should still be pretty. Many don't take the time to do this and simply dispose of the bulbs, and buy new ones each year.



Bulbs will reproduce, and also sink in the soil. So, if you are in a position to leave them outside, I would recommend you dig them up to separate and reposition them before they are due to come up again.