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Message |
    
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 504
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 1:05 pm: | 
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I see a lot of lovely tulips in town that seem to last for a good couple of weeks looking really great.
Mine consistently droop and lost petals after a few days, and I end up mowing them soon after they bloom because they look so bad. I've tried several varieties with the same result. I successfully have other flowers and veggies in my garden............though I'm no green thumb.
What's up?
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7565
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 1:23 pm: |
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Could be that what you think are long-lasting tulips are different tulips for early, mid, late spring. My garden has been continuously flowering, but I put in bulbs to blom at different times.
This year (and last) the hot days killed them really quickly. Tulips are cool weather flowers; a few days in hot sun will make them come & go too fast. |
Politicalmon
Citizen
Username: Politicalmon
Post Number: 144
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 1:25 pm: |
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They need moisture and or water and they would have come back. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 38
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 1:43 pm: |
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That's right. I had some that were drooping early on, as well. Watering every 2 days took care of that problem.
bklyngirl |
Bill232
Citizen
Username: Bill232
Post Number: 167
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 4:10 pm: |
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mjh-That may be just your problem. Mowing over them after they bloom. Tulips need to get their energy for future growth through their existing leaves left over after the bloom. You need to "Dead head" the flowers. This process is clippng the flower stem off after it blooms. Leave the leaves on until they dry up and then you can clip the dried leaves off. You may want to make the left over leaves look a little better while they "Dry out" by rolling them up together and securing them with a rubber band until they dry out. It makes the bed look a little more "Tidy" until they dry up. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7571
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 5, 2006 - 4:49 pm: |
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I used to rubber band the leaves, but then I started gathering them and tying them in a knot. It looks better and I don't have to pick rubber bands out of the leaf debris when it turns brown. Just sweep the leaf balls away. |
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 507
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 8, 2006 - 7:03 am: |
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Thank you all! Greenie, thank for the method of "tidily" letting the leaves dry out. These particular tulips lined the front of our house, and just looked too ugly to leave them alone. I'll try new bulbs, bulb booster, and plenty of water next time, and I won't mow them down.
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