How to Move Tulip Bulbs

Leave the tulips undisturbed until the foliage turns yellow and wilts, as the foliage absorbs energy for the plant from sunlight. When the foliage dies back in late summer, it's safe to dig up and move the tulip bulbs.

Dig around a clump of tulips, using a spade or a garden fork. Dig deeply in a circle, 4 to 6 inches around the perimeter of the clump of flowers, then pry the clump of bulbs loose and lift them from the soil.

Brush the excess soil from the tulips bulbs. Store the bulbs, in a dry, well-ventilated spot until you're ready to plant in October or November. Avoid storing the bulbs where rodents can have access, and don't store the bulbs in plastic. A shelf in a protected garage or pantry is a good storage place.

Prepare a planting spot in a sunny, well-drained location. Remove any weeds, then spade the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches. Rake in 1 ounce of bone meal for every square foot of planting space.

Dig a hole for each tulip bulb. The hole should be about 8 inches deep, and wide enough to accommodate the bulbs. You can also dig a wider hole and plant several bulbs in the same hole. Allow at least 3 to 6 inches of space between each tulip bulb.

Cover the tulips bulbs with soil, then water the area deeply. Water the bulbs as needed throughout the fall, if moisture isn't provided by rain.

Scatter an all-purpose granular fertilizer over the planting area. Use a balanced fertilizer with a ratio such as 10-10-10, applied at a rate of 1 pound of fertilizer for every 50 square foot of planting space. Fertilize while the soil is damp.

Spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch, such as dry grass clippings, straw or shredded bark, over the planting area, then water again.