When to plant and prune Tulip
Tulipa hybrids
Plant tulip bulbs later than other autumn bulbs — November is best, after the first cold snap. Planting too early (September) increases the risk of tulip fire (fungal disease) which thrives in warm soil.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Pruning is driven by dormancy rather than frost, so it is not shifted by region — the same cut is right in Inverness and in Penzance. Planting windows do move.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| South Coast and Channel | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| South East and Home Counties | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| East Anglia | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Wales and West Coast | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Northern England | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Northern Ireland | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late October to late November | early April to early May | deadhead after flowering |
How to prune it
Deadhead spent flowers; leave foliage to die back naturally for 6 weeks before lifting.
Severity: deadhead.
Feeding
Weekly potassium-rich liquid feed from March onwards if bulbs are to be kept for reflowering; skip feeding if treating as single-season bedding.
At a glance
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- H6
- Eventual height
- 0.5 m
- Eventual spread
- 0.1 m
- Years to maturity
- 1
- Spacing
- 10 cm
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil
- Fertile, free-draining soil; plant deeper in areas with very cold winters
- Evergreen
- No
- Pollinator value
- 2 out of 5
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 10 litres or more
- Difficulty
- Easy
Soil pH
Prefers neutral to alkaline soil; apply lime if soil pH is below 6.
Winter protection
For reliable repeat flowering, lift bulbs once foliage yellows (about six weeks after flowering), dry and store over summer, especially on heavier/wetter soils; bedding tulips are often discarded after one season.
Safety
Bulbs are a skin irritant and mildly toxic if eaten; keep away from pets that dig.
Growing notes
Plant in November, not earlier — this is the single most-missed timing rule for spring bulbs and reduces disease risk considerably.
What usually goes wrong
- tulip fire
- grey mould (botrytis)
- squirrels digging up bulbs
- bulb rot in wet soil
- reflowering failure in year two
Related guides
Cross-checked against RHS guidance.