Tulips can bring a vibrant burst of colour to your garden during spring, but one crucial mistake in May could completely ruin your display. Once tulips cease flowering, they begin to die back and withdraw into their bulb. As perennial plants, they should return next year if left undisturbed. However, according to one professional gardener, that is actually the worst approach you could take.
The RHS Gardener's Warning
Emma Jo Real-Davies, a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) gardener, has been cultivating tulips for years and never leaves her flowers alone. She explained that while tulips ought to regrow the following year, she has never experienced success with this method. Her plants either fail to return or are "weak" when they do. In a TikTok video, she revealed: "Your tulips won't come back next year. It's brutal, but it's true. Tulips are perennial, and although they might come back next year, they'll probably be weak and pathetic. They put so much energy into flowering in their first year that they use it all up, so you can leave them in their pots, but they'll probably look droopy and lifeless."
What to Do Instead
Rather than leaving tulips to fend for themselves in May, Emma advised gardeners to dig up their tulips once flowering has finished and add them to the compost heap. If you want more tulips next year, she suggested it is far simpler to purchase fresh bulbs and begin anew, rather than relying on existing ones to return.
Mixed Reactions from Gardeners
Viewers responding to the video held varying opinions. Some backed Emma's guidance, reporting disappointing results with tulips themselves, while numerous others insisted they had successfully grown tulips from identical bulbs for as long as 37 years. One person said: "I'm all for this! I want to reuse most of my pots, so I can't be bothered waiting for them to wilt away. Get 'em out and get rid and there's more of an excuse to buy more." Another added: "Mine came back but without flowers." But someone else disagreed, arguing: "Absolute rubbish. We have had the same bulbs flowering for over 37 years!"
Tips for Growing Tulips
Choose the Right Tulips
Different tulip varieties are not identical. Various types need distinct growing conditions, including soil composition and sun exposure, and some species bloom earlier or later than others.
- Darwin Hybrid tulips: Tall, classic "big" tulips that cope well outdoors and often come back for a few years.
- Triumph tulips: Sturdy stems, good in borders and containers, wide colour range.
- Species tulips: Smaller, earlier, and often the best for naturalising (coming back and multiplying).
- Parrot/Fringed/Double tulips: Dramatic, but can be heavier-headed and more likely to flop in wind and rain.
Plant at the Right Time
In the UK, autumn is the optimal period for planting tulip bulbs, preferably between October and November. This allows bulbs sufficient time to establish roots ahead of spring. Avoid planting prematurely, as this can increase the likelihood of fungal diseases and decay.
Care for Your Tulips Properly
Most tulip varieties require full sunlight—at least six hours daily—and well-draining soil that does not retain excessive moisture. Over-watering is a frequent cause of bulb rot.
- In the ground: You rarely need to water in autumn/winter.
- In pots: Water after planting to settle compost, then only water when the top few centimetres dry out.
Prepare for the Following Year
After blooms fade, remove the flower head to prevent the plant from expending energy on seed production. Allow the foliage to remain until it naturally dies back, which typically takes about six weeks. This approach enhances the flowers' prospects of returning, though many gardeners regard modern tulips as "plant and replace" blooms, as their performance can decline after the first year. This may be especially problematic if your soil is heavy or waterlogged.
