Making tulips last

I have heard several reports of tulips not lasting long. Is there any tricks to keep them going or even getting them to multiply? I have the darwin hybrids, the peony flowering type and some plain pink ones. This is my first year growing them.

Make sure the ground they are in is freely draining, wet soil for a length of time is death to a lot of bulbs. Deadhead them to prevent the plants from wasting their energy in seed production, you can lift the bulbs after the leaves have died down for storage.

When you replant, give them a handful of bone meal or similar in the planting soil, they are quite greedy!

We grow ours in pots since out ground is too wet, we've had some for a number of years and not noticed any problems.

Good hints.

Thanks, Baa.

Adam.