How to Remove Wilted Tulips

A tulip flower keeps its fresh, crisp appearance for about two weeks. When it begins to fade, a seed capsule may form in its place. Nourishing a seed capsule to maturity takes a lot of resources, and the result is smaller bulbs and fewer flowers next year. Removing faded flowers conserves resources and promotes large, healthy bulbs that you will enjoy for years to come. You'll also see results this year as the plant produces new blossoms to replace the ones you remove.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors or pruners

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Push the foliage aside so that you can see the base of the flower stem.

   • 2

     Hold the flower stem near the base with one hand and your scissors in the other. Clip the stem as near to the base as possible.

   • 3

     Avoid clipping the foliage around the stem. The bulb gets nourishment from the foliage, so leave it on the plant and allow it to die back naturally after all the flowers have faded.