Is there anything that shouts Spring like fresh tulips? In this post, I will share how to enjoy fresh tulips indoors.
Tulips Indoors
The above photo features those beautiful Parrot Tulips I found at Costco. I’ve also seen these at Sams Club and Kroger Floral department if you are interested. Check out my post featuring how to force your own bulbs indoors including a Q&A on tulips indoors.
Everything You Need To Know About Healthy Tulips Indoors
In this video, I share a few tips about growing tulips indoors.
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About Tulips
When I think tulips wooden shoes and Dutch windmills pop into my head. Did you know that tulips were originally cultivated in the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey) and then imported into Holland in the sixteenth century? It’s True … according to the official Holland visitors website. Someday I hope to travel to see them in person but for now, I will enjoy them indoors and outdoors here in Ohio.
I share more about tulips that can be found by searching my site.
Tulips Indoors
It doesn’t matter if you forced the bulbs yourself or if you purchased from a local garden center these plants are for enjoyment. You are going to want to follow a few simple tips to keep those blooms looking their best. Below I share what works for me.
- When picking out a tulip container at the garden center be sure to look for new buds that aren’t open yet so you get more of a bloom time in your home or garden.
- Add fresh water daily making sure the roots of the bulbs are wet but the bulb is not submerged
- Keep the cut tulips or bulb planting in a cool room out of direct sun and drafts. Remember tulips bloom outdoors in cool conditions so you want to create that same environment.
- Pick up petals as they fall but don’t cut the bulb flower back if you want to do something with it other than compost it.
- If planting the bulbs in the soil to enjoy indoors, be sure the soil stays moist but not too wet. Feeding the bulb is always a great way to encourage a healthy bloom. I use indoor plant food and just share a little with the tulips when I water my house plants this time of year.
Tulips Indoors and Pets
The tulip bulb contains allergic lactones that can cause drooling, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, says Dr. Stephanie Liff, medical director at Pure Paws Veterinary Care of Hell’s Kitchen and Clinton Hill in New York. “More concerning would be an increased heart and respiratory rate, and sometimes difficulty breathing,” according to PetMD.com
From my own experience If the kitties do anything to the tulips they will knock them over in the house and the puppy would eat them. This can make the pup throw up – not fun!
What Now
The tulip flower has faded.. the pedals are scattered on the buffet table – now what? The big question is can the bulbs we used again? Due to the fact that I love growing my own flowers year-round, my first impulse would be to try and save the bulb. It is especially hard to get rid of the bulb when it produced an amazing flower that is hard to find in my local garden centers. Luckily, bulbs are fairly cheap and easy to find these days. Below are a few ideas on what you can do with the bulb.
- Throw the bulbs in the compost! Tulips are forced to be enjoyed indoors.
- Plant the tulip bulbs outside. This is hit or miss in my hardiness zone. Some years the ground is still frozen where I would want to plant a tulip bulb. If you can get the shovel in the ground to require 4″ -6″ depth after the bulb is done blooming there is a good chance you will be able to enjoy it in the year to come.
- Save the bulb for next year in a cool, dry location. It is best to let tulips and any bulb really complete the forced stage out completely before cutting back all the brown and wilting leaves. Bulbs can be stored in peat moss or wood chips used for animal bedding. The key is to keep them cool and dry but not dried out. I’ve done this before and it is some work and requires space to store.
I’d love to hear what you decide to do with the bulb so be sure to comment on this post. If you want to tell me but not the world .. leave me a personal message on my connect page.
More Tulips On My Website
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In this post I am sharing a short video featuring what caught my eye today in my home garden. What is Blooming Now in my home garden for April 26,2023. See images, plant details and video below.
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It’s Just Not Spring Without A Few Tulips
Let’s Connect
I’d love to hear from you so be sure to comment on this post. Your comments mean the world to me so tell me about your experience growing tulips indoors. You can also reach out to me privately on my connect page to share details.
Happy Spring Everyone,
2 Responses
As much as I love tulips, I’ll have to keep them outside. My cat insists on chewing up all the flowers that we bring inside and I’m scared to death she’ll make herself really sick one of these days. Just today, she chewed a forsythia flower my daughter brought in from outside along with some daffodils, hyacinths, and an early blooming lilac. And that’s not all she chews up!
She catches Palmetto bugs and plays with them before devouring so I can’t even hire an exterminator! What’s a cat mama to do? (Love their kitty even more!)
Thank you for sharing Ginger. Maybe this is something the kitty will out grow or just a good reason to grow more of them outdoors!
We just love our furr babies!