So you’ve got a pot of blooming tulips brightening up your home, and you’re wondering what to do with potted tulips once the flowers fade. Don’t worry, this is a common question for indoor gardeners, and the answer opens up a world of creative possibilities. With a little know-how, you can enjoy these cheerful bulbs for seasons to come or repurpose their container for something new.
This guide will walk you through all your options, from forcing bulbs to rebloom to crafting beautiful seasonal displays. Let’s get started.
What to Do With Potted Tulips
Your path forward depends on what you want. Are you hoping to save the bulbs for another year, or are you ready to move on to a new plant? Both are valid choices. Here’s a breakdown of the two main routes you can take.
Option 1: Saving Your Tulip Bulbs for Future Blooms
Many people treat potted tulips as annuals, but with some effort, you can encourage them to flower again. It’s important to know that tulips, especially the hybrid types often sold pre-potted, are sometimes reluctant to rebloom with the same vigor. But it’s worth a try!
The key is to mimic their natural outdoor cycle. Follow these steps after the blooms are spent.
1. Deadhead the Flowers: First, snip off the faded flower head. This stops the plant from putting energy into making seeds. Leave the stem and all the leaves intact.
2. Continue to Care for the Foliage: Place the pot in a bright, sunny spot. Keep watering it when the soil feels dry. The leaves are now working hard to gather sunlight and send energy down to the bulb for next year’s bloom.
3. Let the Leaves Die Back Naturally: This is the hardest part. You must let the leaves turn yellow and wither on their own. This process can take several weeks. Don’t braid or cut them off early.
4. Stop Watering and Dry Out: Once the foliage is completely yellow and dry, you can stop watering. Remove the dead leaves.
5. Remove and Store the Bulbs: Gently tip out the bulbs from the pot. Brush off the dry soil and let them cure in a cool, dry, airy place for a few days. Then, store them in a mesh bag or paper bag in a cool, dark place like a garage or basement until fall planting season.
6. Replant in the Fall: In autumn, plant these saved bulbs in your garden. They may skip a year, but often will bloom again the following spring in their natural outdoor environment.
Option 2: Transitioning to a New Indoor Plant
If saving bulbs sounds like to much work, you can simply compost the bulbs and reuse the pot. This is a perfect chance for a creative indoor gardening project. The pot is already the right size for many wonderful plants.
Creative Ideas for Your Now-Empty Pot
Once your tulip show is over, don’t let that pretty pot sit empty. Here are some inspired ideas to fill it next.
* Plant Herbs for a Kitchen Windowsill: A pot that held tulips is ideal for a small herb garden. Try basil, chives, parsley, or thyme. You’ll love having fresh flavors right at your fingertips.
* Create a Succulent or Cactus Arrangement: These low-water plants are forgiving and stylish. Use a cactus potting mix for drainage and combine different shapes, colors, and textures for a modern look.
* Try a Fragrant Flowering Plant: For continuous indoor color, consider a miniature rose, a cheerful geranium, or a peace lily, which also helps clean the air.
* Grow Leafy Greens: You can sow seeds for microgreens, lettuce, or spinach. They grow quickly and give you a tasty, homegrown harvest.
* Force Bulbs for Next Season: Use the pot for a different type of forced bulb. Hyacinths, paperwhites, or crocus are excellent choices for winter blooms.
Caring for Potted Tulips While They Bloom
To get the longest life from your bouquet-in-a-pot, proper care from the moment you bring it home is essential. Here’s how to make those blooms last.
* Find the Right Light: Place your pot in a spot with bright, indirect light. A south or east-facing window is great. Too much direct hot sun can shorten bloom time.
* Keep Them Cool: Tulips prefer cooler temperatures. A room that’s between 60-68°F (15-20°C) is perfect. Avoid placing them near heat vents, radiators, or fireplaces.
* Water Wisely: Check the soil daily. Water only when the top inch feels dry to the touch. Be careful not to overwater—soggy soil will cause the bulbs to rot. Always empty any water that collects in the saucer beneath the pot.
* Skip the Fertilizer: You don’t need to fertilize while the plant is in bloom. The bulb contains all the energy it needs for this flowering cycle.
Advanced Project: Forcing Tulip Bulbs Yourself
Want the satisfaction of growing your own potted tulips from scratch? Forcing bulbs is a rewarding winter project that brings spring indoors months early. You’ll need to plan ahead, as bulbs require a long chilling period.
1. Buy the Right Bulbs: In early fall, purchase high-quality tulip bulbs labeled as good for “forcing” or “potting.”
2. Choose a Pot and Plant: Select a pot with drainage holes. Fill it partway with potting mix. Place the bulbs close together, pointy-end up, but not touching. You can fit several in one pot. Cover them with soil, leaving just the tips showing.
3. Simulate Winter (The Chill Period): This is the most critical step. The pots need to be kept in a dark, cold place (between 35-48°F or 2-9°C) for 12-16 weeks. An unheated garage, a cold frame, or a spare refrigerator (with no fruit, which emits ethylene gas) works well. Keep the soil barely moist.
4. Bring Them Into the Light: After the chilling time, bring the pots into a cool, bright room (around 50-60°F or 10-15°C). In a few weeks, you’ll see green shoots.
5. Enjoy the Blooms: Once the shoots are a few inches tall, move the pots to your desired display location. They should bloom in about 3-4 weeks.
Remember, forced bulbs have used up most of there energy. It’s usually best to compost them after blooming and start with fresh bulbs next year.
Decorating with Potted Tulips Indoors
Tulips aren’t just plants; they’re living decor. Get creative with how you display them.
* Group Pots Together: Cluster several pots of the same color for a bold statement, or mix different colors and varieties for a cottage-garden feel.
* Use Unique Containers: While their original pot is fine, you can slip it into a more decorative cache pot (a decorative outer container) that matches your room’s style.
* Create a Centerpiece: A low, wide pot of tulips makes a stunning, temporary centerpiece for your dining table. Just be sure it’s not in direct sunlight from a nearby window.
* Line a Windowsill: A row of tulip pots along a sunny kitchen windowsill is a classic and cheerful look that’s hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I plant my potted tulips outside after they bloom?
A: Yes, this is a very common practice. Follow the steps in Option 1 to let the foliage die back, then plant the bulbs in your garden in the fall. They may not bloom the first spring after planting, but should in subsequent years.
Q: Why are my potted tulips drooping?
A: Tulips naturally grow toward light and can get top-heavy. Rotating the pot daily can help them grow straighter. Also, ensure they are getting enough water and are not in a too-warm location.
Q: How long do potted tulips typically last?
A: With proper care, the flowers themselves can last 1-2 weeks. The entire plant, from green shoot to faded bloom, will have a lifecycle of several weeks indoors.
Q: My tulips came in a pot with no drainage. What should I do?
A: Be extra careful with watering. Add only small amounts of water at a time to avoid drowning the bulbs. Or, for the future, you can carefully transplant them into a pot that does have drainage holes.
Q: What do I do with gifted tulips in a pot?
A: Enjoy them first! Follow the care tips above. Then, decide if you want to try saving the bulbs (Option 1) or repurposing the pot for a new plant (Option 2). It’s a lovely gift that keeps on giving.
Potted tulips offer a burst of spring joy, and their end doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Whether you nurture the bulbs for another season, transform the container into an herb garden, or take on the project of forcing your own, you have plenty of creative paths to choose from. With these ideas, you can keep the spirit of indoor gardening growing all year round.