Hybrid tulips and hyacinths are short-lived stars of the spring garden. They bloom profusely the first spring, but the number of flowers decline each year. You may want to treat these like annuals, carefully removing them from the garden to avoid damaging any remaining plants. Toss these in the compost pile and start planning for their replacements. It is a great opportunity to try something new and freshen the look of your spring garden. If you are looking for a permanent replacement, consider using species tulips that are less floriferous but return each year.
Add a few years to the life of hybrid tulips and daffodils and get the most from all your long-lived spring flowering bulbs with proper care. Water spring gardens thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly and just slightly moist. Spring rains often take care of this task, but when they don’t it is easy to forget to provide spring gardens with the water they need. Providing the right amount of water when needed will keep your bulbs looking their best.
Bulbs often receive sufficient nutrients at the time of planting or when the other plants in the garden are fertilized. Apply fertilizer to established bulb pla ...
