A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 When do I cut back my Tulips???

I have never had an exact answer to this question, but when is it save to cut the Tulip leaves off, so I can plant my bedding plants? I have normally cut them just as I am ready to plant my annuals, but someone said that they need to retain their leaves for a longer time.
The Tulips always come back, and I haven't had a problem with loosing plants over the year, but now I have over 200 plants. Any information would be appreciated.

, snowpapa! Welcome to the forum! I don't know the answer to your question, but I am sure someone will be along soon to fill us both in. I have tulips, too, and am wondering when to cut the leaves off.

Dianna

guys,
i think that you can cut back the tulips when the green is no longer green (i think)yeah when the leaves turn brown and die back

dianna you have such a pretty smile (i saw your picture)

Hey, wait, where's Dianna's picture!?

Oh, tulips.. umm.. wait till they naturally die back, I think?

Meg

Thank you, Phoenix! For the advice and the compliment!

The pic's in the "And you are?" thread, Meg.

Dianna

Cool! Thanks for letting me know.. I didn't realize how many folks were posting thier pics since I started with mine..lol. (I'm a complete photo 'ho.)

Meg

Snowpapa,
Exactly how many of those 200 are tulip???

I have a bunch on the side of my house,
and I am not all that crazy about the brown either, but I know I have to leave the leaves on
for the bulb the next year..
But what I do is, take a pair of scissors and cut,
just the part that's brown , Not the part that's half and half , it's still working on that section.
But I do have to do this several times, during the
course of them dying completely back...
A wee time consuming...but makes it look nice, not so brown, but the bulb is happy to have it's energy for next years flower..

Hope that helps a little bit..

Weezie

P/S Welcome by the way to The Garden Helper's Forum, we are very glad you found us here!!!

Meg don't mean to sound Dim bulb as TK puts it but just what is a ?
I like hopot's but don't think I want to be one of those.
Jimmy

Umm.. nevermind? LOL. It's bad, bad I say! Ok, don't twist my arm!! *ow* It's slang, we use it on another forum when you're desperate for something.. such as spoilers for a tv show. We're known as spoiler 'hos. We expand that to include whatever we feel fit.. and yea, I love photos.. sooo..

but thinking now that maybe the reference isn't so good here..lol.

Did I <img border="0" alt="[perplexed]" title="" src="graemlins/confused.gif" /> you yet?
Meg

not yet? just thought I would ask. way to calm here today. Have to take my BIG STICK and stur.
Jimmy

Meg... I be a garden 'ho then!

Cindy Jo

That's me too Cindy!! (Even tho I *still* have deadly black thumbs!) :p

Meg

If you are wanting to plant annuals over top you may cut back the leaves three weeks AFTER the tulips has finished blooming. If you can't wait that long you may move your tulips to a new bed to die back naturally. Thats according to Mark Cullen anyways.