Hello! I am your new potted tulip. I've likely traveled from a cool greenhouse, so my first need is a gentle transition. Please place me in a bright spot with indirect sunlight. A location near an east-facing window is ideal. Avoid harsh, direct afternoon sun, as it can scorch my leaves and cause my blooms to fade too quickly. Similarly, keep me away from direct heat sources like radiators or heating vents, and drafts from doors or air conditioners. Extreme temperature fluctuations are very stressful for me. A consistent, cool room temperature between 60-65°F (15-18°C) will help me feel settled and prolong my beautiful display.
Water is my lifeblood, but my potted roots are sensitive. My soil should be kept evenly moist, but never soggy. Please check my soil daily by touching the top inch with your finger. If it feels dry, it's time for a drink. Water me slowly and evenly at the soil level until you see water begin to drain from the holes in the bottom of my pot. Crucially, never let me sit in a saucer full of water. My bulbs are prone to rot if they are waterlogged, which would be a quick end for me. Empty the drainage saucer about 15 minutes after watering to ensure my roots have access to oxygen as well as moisture.
When you brought me home, I already contained all the energy I needed stored within my bulb to produce this season's flower and leaves. Therefore, I do not need fertilizer while I am in bloom. Feeding me now could actually harm me or shorten the life of my flowers. My focus is entirely on showcasing my beauty for you. After my blooms have faded, if you plan to keep me for next year, that will be the time for nourishment, but that is a story for later.
My time in spectacular bloom is relatively short, typically one to two weeks. As my petals begin to wilt and drop, you have a choice to make. For most beginners, I am treated as an annual display. Once my flowers are spent, you can simply compost me, grateful for the joy I brought. However, if you wish to try to help me bloom again next year, the process requires more patience. After flowering, snip off the faded flower head, but crucially, leave my stem and all my leaves intact. They are my solar panels, absorbing sunlight to create energy that is sent back down to recharge my bulb for the future.
If you choose the ambitious path of rejuvenation, care for me as before—water and sunlight—until my leaves turn yellow and wither completely. This process can take several weeks. Once the foliage is brown and dead, you can stop watering and gently remove my bulb from the pot. Clean off the soil and let me dry in a cool, dark place for a few days. Then, store me in a mesh bag or paper bag in a cool, dark location like a garage or refrigerator (away from fruit, which emits ethylene gas) for about 10-12 weeks of a simulated winter. In late autumn, you can plant me in your garden, where I may, with luck, gather enough strength to greet you again in a future spring.
