Can Dead Tulips Be Forced To Bloom Again?

Forced tulips can be saved and replanted outside for a future spring bloom. After forcing, the plant’s energy is depleted, making it crucial to build up its energy supply. The best chance of success is in cooler climates with long springs or wilder species tulips. Deadheading the flowers after they bloom involves removing spent blooms from the stem to prevent the plant from wasting energy on setting seed.

Tulips decline after each bloom season, so flowers aren’t guaranteed. However, there are post-care techniques to give them the best shot at several springs. If you have grown tulips in spring flower beds and they’ve started to go over, deadhead them. After flowering, it’s possible to place the plants in the soil so they will bloom next year. However, some bulbs may return better than others. Some tips for success include deadheading, clipping off dead blooms, allowing the soil to dry out completely once leaves have withered and died, and planting outside in the fall.

For forced pot tulips, it’s likely that they won’t rebloom and will die soon after being removed from the pot. Carefully remove the bulbs from the potting soil, allow them to dry for 1 or 2 weeks, and store them in a cool, dry location. Plant the bulbs when the flower buds show color and move the pot back into indirect light to make the flowers last longer.

To encourage tulips to bloom again next year, remove the seed heads once the blooms have faded, allow the foliage to die back naturally, and dig up the dead leaves. If the leaves have died back, plant bulbs outdoors when the soil is workable. If the leaves have not died back, wait until after the last frost to plant the bulbs.