Should I Trim The Tulip Stems?

Trim ¼ in (0.6 cm) from the end of the stems at an angle to give the flower more surface area for water absorption. Avoid snapping off the flower heads with your fingers or pinching off the stem, as this can bruise or tear the stem and make the plant use more resources to heal it. Instead, make a clean cut, which does not cause any damage.

When cutting tulips, give them a fresh trim before placing them in water, and change the water daily or every other day. Rinse out the vase when changing the water and ensure they are in a vase that can support them. Tulips can benefit from summer pruning, but wait at least 6 weeks after they have budged. Prune your tulips to encourage them to regrow or trim them for their vase using garden shears. Cut the tulip flower at the base of the stem after fading in color or whenever you want to put them in a vase. Tulips can last in a vase for 3-7 days if cared for properly.

Cut the tulip stems at a 45° angle, using sharp scissors or a knife, to allow water to flow up the stem. Remove the spent flower heads once the tulips are done blooming, as allowing them to go to seed weakens the bulb. Before placing the tulips in the vase, cut the stems at an angle to help the tulips take in more water and stay fresh. To make your tulips last longest, cut the blooms when they have about 50-75 of their full color, otherwise, the flowers won’t develop further in a vase.