Tips for a Wilted Tulip Leaf

General Tips

• Trim any yellow or brown parts of partially wilted leaves and remove any leaves that are completely yellowed, dried out or wilted. Remove any leaves on cut tulip stems that rest underwater. Avoid buying potted tulips if you notice any brown spots or yellow tips. For outdoor plants, test the soil pH and add lime to bring the level up to a 6 or 6.5. Add a slow release, blended mix fertilizer with a nutrient ratio of 9-9-6 to help promote healthy leaf growth. Distribute fertilizer in the fall season, spreading it on the top of the soil.

Treating Pests

• In some cases, wilted tulip leaves result from flower pests. Aphids, for instance, suck the moisture out of leaves, causing them to wilt or curl. Rinse aphid-infected plants thoroughly with a garden house or treat them with a pesticide such as malathion, nicotine sulfate or rotenone. Wireworms or Japanese beetles can also cause wilting. Treat wireworms with malathion and beetles with carbaryl, malathion or methoxychlor.

Treating Diseases

• Tulips often suffer from Botrytis blight, commonly dubbed “tulip fire.” As a result of this disease, the plants exhibit stunted growth, wilted leaves and a lack of flower bulbs. In particular, leaves become scattered or twisted with a blotchy, blighted appearance. At the first sign of blight, remove the infected tulip bulbs from soil to prevent spreading infection. Place any infected plants in a paper bag and burn them once removed from the plot. Ward off the fungus-based Augusta disease, which causes withered flowers and leaves, by using fresh planting soil.

Prevention

• Growing and caring for your tulips in an ideal environment helps prevent wilted leaves and other common problems. Tulips prefer sunlight, adequate soil drainage and plentiful air circulation. Apply fungicide sprays to prevent Botrytis blight. Plant tulips in the fall when temperatures reach below 50 degrees Fahrenhiet. Avoid planting them in the same field year after year, use fresh soil instead. Test any herbicides on one plant before applying them to your tulip plot to note any negative effects or reactions.