Spring bulb treatment

(Question)

My daffodils and tulips are nearing the end of their blooming season. Shall I leave them in the ground or dig up the bulbs, dry them out, and replant them in the fall? If I dig them up should I wait till the leaves have died off?

(Answer)

Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners.

I’m sure that you have been enjoying the cheery display of your blossoming daffodils and tulips, so welcome after the long colourless winter.

Daffodils are very happy to stay where you’ve planted them and if they are happy will multiply annually into a handsome grouping. Personally I have a cluster that gets bigger and bigger each year without any special attention.

Tulips may also increase in number but much depends on the tulip itself. The following article https://www.floraqueen.com/blog/make-sure-tulips-return-every-spring will provide good information on tulips and how to ensure that they bloom again.

Our archives list previous posts which may be of interest:https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/?s=tulips

https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/spring-bulbs-daffodils-and-tulips/ ‎

https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/tulips-daffodils/ ‎

Our Gardening Guide on Growing tulips has good information. https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/gardeningguides/growing-tulips-a-toronto-master-gardeners-guide-2/

Our recommendation is to leave both your daffodil and your tulip bulbs in the garden and remove the foliage only when it has become yellow, likely some time in June. To give the bulbs additional nourishment feed them now with a top dressing of compost as well as synthetic fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 10-15-10 lightly cultivated into the soil and watered in well. In spring apply the same fertilizer when new green shoots appear.

We hope that you continue to enjoy your spring bulbs for many years to come.