HOW TO PROPAGATE TULIP BULBS AFTER THEY FINISH FLOWERING

Don’t buy tulip bulbs every year! Once you have grown tulip flowers in your garden, you can save or propagate the bulbs to plant every season.

There are 3 ways you can PROPAGATE TULIP BULBS.

STEP 1 – CUTTING

1. REMOVING BASAL PLATE : Remove the thick base disc of the bulb and mark a deep X with a knife.
2. CUTTING THROUGHT THE BULBS : Remove the dark peel and mark deep cuts vertically on the sides of the bulb
3. REMOVING TENDER PARTS: Cut out any tender parts making a flat surface for new bulblets

The part where cuts are made is where new bulblets will sprout.

STEP 2 – PREVENT ROT

1. APPLY FUNGICIDE: This is not optional. No fungicide means the bulbs will rot instead of propagating.

STEP 3 – STORAGE OF BULBS

1. Place the bulbs individually on newspapers.
2. Cover with peatmoss or damp cocopeat
3. Place in a box and store at a dark place
4. The box should have some ventilation (e.g. a shoebox with holes poked on sides)

STEP 4 – KEEP A CHECK

1. KEEP IT DAMP : The bulbs should not dry out completely while storing
2. REMOVE ROTTEN BULBS: If any bulb starts to rot, remove it immediately to save the other tulip bulbs that are propapagting

TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE PROPAGATING TULIP BULBS

• New bulblets take time to grow and flower. Plant them each season and store for next season till they are ready to bloom.
• Tulip bulbs rot easily while propagating. Don’t skip fungicide and keep propagating bulbs separate from each other.
• Do not let the bulbs dry out, they will not grow again.
• The propagating medium should be damp but not wet. More mositure means more chances of tulip bulbs rotting.