Or plant in pots, though you’ll need to cover the top with chicken wire to discourage digging. You also plant tulip bulbs inside special protective containers or homemade chicken wire cages. It’s not a foolproof method, but it’s definitely worth a shot. To keep away hungry critters, try planting tulips with other companion plants that animals don’t like, such as daffodils. Also, these bulbs are loved, loved, loved by deer, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, mice and voles, so don’t be surprised if you find them dug up or chewed to the ground. To hide the fading foliage, plant tulips with companion plants that have similar needs, which is 6 hours or more of direct sun and well-draining soil. To really help your tulips thrive, leave the foliage of any tulip for about six weeks or so until it withers that’s so that the plant can make food for next year, which will increase the chances of blooms. However, a few types, such as the smaller “species” tulips or Darwin hybrids, typically do return for years in the right conditions. That’s OK! Most gardeners treat them as annuals and plant new bulbs every fall. How to Help Your Tulips Bloom (Again & Again):Īlthough you might think of tulips as perennials because they’re bulbs, most types only bloom well the first year or two, then fizzle out. Different types bloom in early, mid and late spring, so if you plan well, you can have tulips all season long. Tulips are available in every color of the rainbow with single petals, frilled petals or lush, double petals which make them resemble flowers such as peonies and roses. These gorgeous flowers grow from bulbs that are planted in the fall before the ground freezes. You know spring has (finally!) arrived when you see tulips in bloom in your garden.