How do I keep my tulips alive?

Question

I got some potted tulips as a prize at a baby shower....and that was 2 weeks ago and I've already manage to start killing them!  :-(
There's 2 mature flowers that were closed when I got it.  They opened in a about 5 days and now seem to be dying (drying out and discolouring at the ends of the petals).
I watered them with room temp water when I first got them (cuz the soil was dry) and have watered every 6 days since.
They sit on my kitchen counter near a sunny window with blinds that are partway open.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Peter · Accepted Answer

Your not killing them.   It is probably responding to quite a few environmental changes from the nursery, to where they were bought, to where the shower was held and then to your home.   

Tulips are a different sort of plant.   A bulb's purpose is to flower.   It's food source is the bulb.  When the conditions are right, the bulb will start to shoot by putting out leaves.   It uses the stored food and eventually flowers.   After the flower dies (unless it has another flower), the bulb will reabsorb the nutrients stored in its leaves.  (This is the best time to give it some food.)   It will be dormant for a while and the process will start again.

It sounds like you could be giving them too much water at once and letting it dry out too much between.   Yes it does need some water, but just enough to keep it going.  
Well done - you have done excellent by giving it room temp water and placing it so it still gets filtered light.

Tammy · Answer

Tulips don't last long whether they are fresh cut, potted or in the gound.  They typically will last about a week and the petals start to fall off.  You should plant them in the ground and leave all the foliage on them.  When the foliage is brown and easy to pull off, you will end up with nothing except the bulb which will come up again next year.  hope this helps you!

Dawn G · Answer

Tulips are spring flowers and they grow from bulbs. Sounds to me like they are doing what they are meant to do.

Keep watering as usual until the leaves begin to dry up. Allow them to dry (do not cut them while green) so that the bulb can absorb all of the nutrients that are in the leaves. Once the leaves are dry, cut them off and throw them away, and stop watering. Put the pot, soil and all, in a dark cool place until next spring.

In spring, take the pots out, put them in a warm, sunny place and start watering again. They should grow and bloom again.

Emma · Answer

Tulip flowers are a hardy species, but if you don't know how to deal with the main challenges, your garden will suffer. Here are the top concerns and issues with tulips before flowering.

Tulip Care - http://www.perennial-gardens.com/flower-articles/tulip-care.htm

Question and Answers about Tulips - http://www.perennial-gardens.com/flower-articles/tulip-question-and-answers.htm

Anonymous · Answer

False. The stars keep me alive, not dreams.

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How do I keep my tulips alive?

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