Tulips Not Coming Up

Question

I planted 30 tulips last fall. Only two are up and blooming. I do not even see green leaves from the others. Could voles/moles be the cause? I also added several inches of compost on top last fall.

Answer 1

If they didn’t come up at all, it is very possible that an animal pest of some kind (vole, chipmunk, squirrel) dug them up and feasted on the bulbs. Unfortunately, this happens a lot. There is one thing you can do, however, when planting bulbs that will help discourage diggers. You can cover the planting area with a piece of chicken wire or mesh and cover it with soil/mulch. The flowers will still come up through it but digging animals, like squirrels, cannot get to the bulbs. Here are some other things you can try: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/protect-flower-bulbs.htm Voles are another issue, as they tunnel from beneath, oftentimes using mole tunnels (who typically catch the blame for the vole’s activities). If you know for certain there are voles/moles in your lawn, these articles will help with discouraging them from the area: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/vole-control.htm , https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/mole-control-home-remedies-for-removing-moles-from-your-yard.htm