What to Do With Indoor Flowering Bulbs After They Bloom
Are you wondering what to do with indoor flowering bulbs after they bloom? You may be surprised with all your options. In this article, horticulture expert Matt Dursum shows you several options.
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Flowering bulbs are some of the most common indoor houseplants you can buy. Whether you’re growing stunning amaryllis or delicate paperwhites, these stunning bloomers are hard not to love.
After their blooms, their beautiful flowers will fade, and you’ll be left with wilted and discolored flowers. When this happens, you may wonder what to do with them. While tossing them in the trash is an option, there’s plenty more you can do.
Keep reading to learn more about what to do when your flowers are done blooming. All your options may surprise you.
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Deadhead Them
You’ll want to remove dead flowers no matter what you choose to do with your bulbs after they bloom. Not only do they look unappealing, they’ll divert energy away from the bulbs to seed production. Removing them lets the plants focus their energy on storage in the bulbs.
This process is called deadheading. Wait until the flowers are completely shriveled and brown. Take disinfected pruners and cut the flower stalks cleanly. Be careful not to remove leaves or stems.
Don’t Touch the Leaves
Many flowering species such as amaryllis, daffodils, and tulips keep their foliage after blooming. They need their leaves for photosynthesis, which converts sunlight into energy and nutrients. They’ll need these nutrients and sugars during the next blooming cycle.
While they’re still alive, leave the leaves alone and close to bright, indirect light. They’ll continue to flourish until they’re ready to go into dormancy.
Some gardeners try tying up the leaves to make the plants look more presentable. This is not necessary and decreases the surface area the leaves need to absorb light. Treat your flowerless plants as regular houseplants and let them be.
Move Them Outside
You might love your flowering houseplants, but did you know you can move them outside after they bloom? This is possible for most flowering bulbs if you live in a warm area. Plants such as amaryllis will perennialize in zones 9 and 10. Crocus can thrive in almost any climate in the US.
When you move them outside, keep them in their original containers or plant them directly in the ground. Be gentle when transplanting, and make sure you don’t damage the bulbs and root system.
Most species prefer well-drained soil with plenty of light. Space them out at least a foot apart so they don’t overcrowd each other. The following season, you should get stunning blooms outside.
Let the Foliage Die Back Naturally
For most indoor flowering plants, after they bloom, let the foliage die back naturally. This gives the plants enough time to complete their growing cycle. If you cut them back before they’ve stored enough energy, they probably won’t bloom the following season.
Once the leaves start wilting and turning color, it’s a sign the plants are entering dormancy. Leave them alone until it’s time to store them away. You can stop watering them and prepare for overwintering or composting them.
Fertilize Them
Some species require a lot of energy to bloom, especially when forced. Because of this, many species appreciate fertilization after they bloom. Spring bloomers such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and winter bloomers will benefit from a bit of plant food.
The roots will absorb the extra nutrients and store them away for the next blooming cycle. Plants such as amaryllis thrive off of fertilizers high in nitrogen and phosphorous. Be mindful not to over-fertilize. Too much plant food will harm your flowering plants.
Store Them Away During Dormancy
After your indoor bulbs bloom, you can store them away during their dormancy period. Many flowering species naturally go dormant after the growing season. This gives them time to conserve energy for new blooms the following season. Storing them away during their dormancy period is easy if you follow the steps below.
Remove the Flowers
Once the flower dies back, use disinfected pruners to remove it. This helps the plant redirect energy from its flower to its bulb.
Let the Foliage Die Back
As mentioned before, it’s best to let your houseplants be after they bloom. Their foliage will naturally die back and turn yellow. The leaves will need this extra time on the plant to store energy in the bulb.
Once the leaves turn yellow and start to wilt, they’re entering their dormancy phase. You can stop watering at this time. Don’t be alarmed if the foliage starts to come off the plant.
Remove Them From the Pot
When the foliage naturally dies back, it’s time to remove the plants from the soil. Gently move the plants back and forth to loosen them. Indoor flowering bulbs are delicate, even after they bloom, so make sure you don’t disturb them too much.
Cut Off the Dead Foliage
After the foliage dies, cut it back to a few inches above the bulb. Toss the dead leaves in the compost.
Clean Them Well
With clean hands or gloves, remove soil and plant debris attached to them. Indoor potting soil sometimes contains pathogens that can infect your bulbs during storage. Use water to remove as much soil as you can.
Cure Them
After cleaning the bulbs, dry them in a dry space between 65 and 70°F (18-21°C). This process is called curing. When you cure the bulbs, you protect them from fungal infections and let their outer layer toughen up for storage.
Wait until they are completely dry on the outside. The skin may start to wrinkle once it loses its moisture.
For most species, this takes a day or two. Some flowers, such as canna lilies, may need a week to fully dry. It’s important to wait until the drying process is complete before storing them.
Store Them
Once they are dry, they’re ready for storage. You can place your bulbs in boxes with a clean potting medium. Or wrap them in paper bags. Whichever method you use, make sure they don’t touch each other.
Keep your bulbs in a cool, dry place, such as a closet or a basement. Most species prefer a temperature of around 40 to 50°F (4-10°C).
It’s important to keep them away from light. This could cause them to end their dormancy period too early.
Keep Them Growing as Houseplants
Many popular indoor houseplants such as amaryllis can thrive if you let them grow after blooming. Let the foliage stay on throughout the summer and deadhead the flowers that are past their peak.
Continue watering them and store them in a place with bright, indirect light. Most indoor flowers will respond well if you keep your indoor temperatures between 65 and 75°F (18-24°C).
Give Them Away
One of the best things to do with your indoor bulbs after blooming is to give them away. However, it’s best to overwinter them first. After completing their dormancy phase, they’ll be ready to start growing during the new season.
Flowering bulbs such as tulips need a short period of cold exposure in the Fall. After this period, they’re ready to be given away as colorful holiday gifts.
Throw Them Away
The easiest thing to do with them after blooming is to throw them away, especially if your indoor bulbs are diseased or you simply don’t like them.
After they flower, go ahead and inspect them. If you see any signs of disease, it’s a good time to throw them away. Whatever you do, don’t add diseased plants to your compost pile or garden soil.
Use for Compost
Instead of tossing your indoor bulbs in the trash after blooming, try composting them. Before you do so, chop them up into smaller pieces. This will help the microbes and critters in your compost pile or compost bin break them down.
Bulbs act as both green and brown waste and are full of nutrients. When they break down, they’ll give the organisms living in your compost plenty to feed on.
Some bulbs, such as amaryllis, may have a protective wax coating. Remove the wax coating before adding your bulbs to the compost.
Key Takeaways
If you’re wondering what to do with indoor flowering bulbs after they bloom, there are several options. These beautiful plants are some of the most resilient styles of flowers you can grow.
Whether you overwinter them or move them outside to your garden, you can enjoy their blooms over several seasons. Don’t be afraid to try new ways of reusing them after they put on their show of color.
