Care for Tulips That Have Bloomed

Question

I received tulips for Valentine’s Day and the blooms are gone. Should I cut the stems and plant the bulbs or leave them in their pot and continue to water them?

Answer 1

You can get rid of the stems, but leave the foliage until they turn yellow. The leaves are how they build energy for next years blooms. You can take them out and store them, though I would store them in the garage so that they get heat, or you can just go ahead and plant them outdoors, though forced tulips are sometimes difficult to grow in the garden. These articles will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/tulips/tulips-bloom-every-year.htm, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/how-to-plant-a-flower-bulb-in-your-garden-after-winter-forcing.htm