Typically, we pop tulip bulbs into the ground in the fall and let them do their thing in the same spot year after year. But life happens! Maybe you’re redesigning your flower beds or moving to a new place and want to take your favorites with you. Whatever the reason, if you need to move your tulips, you’ll want to do it the right way so they stay healthy and keep blooming beautifully.
Moving Your Bulbs: Timing is Everything
When it comes to transplanting tulips, you’ve generally got two windows of opportunity: spring or fall. Here’s how to handle both.
Moving Tulips in the Spring
You can actually move tulips right as those first green shoots start peeking through the soil. The key here is being gentle. You want to dig up the bulb with a generous amount of surrounding soil to make sure you don’t nick the roots or snap the new growth. If you notice any tiny “baby” bulbs (offsets) clinging to the main bulb, go ahead and gently pull them off. This helps the mother plant focus all her energy on blooming. Plus, you can plant those little guys elsewhere to grow your collection!
Once they’re out of the ground, get them into their new home immediately. Dig a hole deep enough to fit the entire root ball comfortably. Pro tip: Mix a little compost into the soil first to give them a nice nutrient boost.
Moving Tulips in Late Summer or Fall
Once your tulips have finished blooming and the foliage has completely turned brown and withered, you can dig them up for storage. If the leaves are still green, don’t cut them off! The bulb needs those leaves to gather energy for next year. If you must move them while they’re still green, dig up the whole clump and “heel them in” (replant them temporarily) in a quiet corner of the garden until they die back naturally.
Once the foliage is totally dry, dig them up, trim off the dead leaves, and clean off the dirt. Store them in a dark, airy, and cool spot until planting season rolls around. When late fall hits, it’s time to get them back in the dirt:
- Pick a spot with sandy, loamy soil.
- Dig your holes about three times as deep as the bulb is tall.
- Drop the bulbs in with the pointy side facing up.
- Mix your soil with some compost before filling the hole back in.
- Pat the soil down firmly and give them a good drink of water.
- Don’t forget to add a garden marker so you remember where they are!
Can You Just Leave Them Be?
If you aren’t into the whole “digging them up every year” routine, you can definitely leave your tulips in the ground. However, tulips have a habit of “sinking” deeper into the earth over time, which can eventually stop them from blooming. To keep them happy, I recommend digging them up and resetting them every three years or so.
