Learn all the details about growing tulips to sell as cut flowers and why it’s not the same as growing tulips in your garden.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission from the purchase of these products at no additional cost to you. You can find my full disclosure here.

Shop all my garden favorites HERE

Did you know growing tulips as cut flowers is very different than growing tulips found in perennial beds?

Since growing tulips for cut flower use, I’ve found that they are almost a completely different flower than the tulips I was familiar with.

Living in a zone that gets enough cold hours for tulips to perennialize, I assumed all tulips would return year after year after planted.

I was wrong!

What do tulips need to grow?

All tulip bulbs need a certain number of chill hours in order to produce flowers the following spring. Therefore, tulips can often naturalize, or perennialize, in climates that have cold winters.

However, not all tulips will return the following year, even with ideal conditions.

What is the difference between garden tulips and cut flower tulips?

Garden tulips are varieties that have been bred to perennialize, or return year after year.

Tulips bred for cut flowers are typically much more unique than garden tulips. They come in various beautiful colors, shapes, and sizes. Unfortunately, those beautiful fancy double tulips we see in bouquets are not typically able to perennialize.

This means that once they are planted, they will produce a beautiful flower in the Spring (if given the right conditions), but after that its unlikely the flower will continue to bloom.

Are all cut flower tulips annuals?

Some cut flower tulips will perennialize, however it isn’t very reliable and takes some trial and error to see what varieties will return and which ones are one and done.

For example, in my gardens I’ve had great luck with the tulip ‘Exotic Emperor’ and ‘Angelique’ returning year after year. However, the varieties called ‘Backpacker’ and a late double yellow (I can’t remember the exact variety) did not return the second year.

Another reason why tulips grown as cut flowers are an annual are because of how they need to be harvested. To harvest tulips as cut flowers the bulb and all is removed. Doing so increases stem length, storage length, and vase life.

When to plant tulip bulbs: Fall Planting

Tulip bulbs should be planted in the fall. Tulips need a certain number of ‘chill’ hours in order to bloom. Some companies sell prechilled bulbs. If your bulbs have not been pre chilled, it’s important to ensure they will receive enough of this cold time in your growing zone.

If you live in a warmer climate, you will need to keep the tulip bulbs in the fridge for the amount of time they require prior to planting. If you live in a colder climate, it’s important to plant them out with enough time to collect their hours.

In my zone 5b/6a with an average first frost in mid October and last frost in mid May, I try to have by tulips in the ground before November.

Tulip Planting: How to Plant Tulips as Cut Flowers

When tulips are grown as cut flowers they are grown much differently than when planted in garden beds.  Instead of spacing each bulb far apart, tulip bulbs grown for cutting are planted ‘egg carton’ style.  This means bulbs are placed just about an inch apart from each other in blocks or rows.  There are a couple different methods when growing for tulip production.

The Trench Method

The easiest way to grow tulips as a cut flower is to dig out a wide trench the length you would like your tulip bed.  The beds can be as large as your space allows, however rows that are no more than 3-4′ wide make it easier to harvest.

Plant tulips in well-drained soil to prevent the bulbs from rotting.

Lay the bulbs out in the dug out trench about 1″ apart on all sides.

Be sure to discard any bulbs that have mold or other obvious signs of disease or sickness.

Cover your bulbs with soil.  Tulips grown in loose soil will be the easiest to harvest.

The Bed Method

Another way to plant tulips for cut flower production is to create a raised bed with lumber boards. Lay out your bulbs egg carton style and then cover with a mixture of lose compost and soil.  After harvest, you can disassemble the bed and use the compost mix to amend other garden beds.

Tulip bulbs don’t typically need to be watered in.  To much moisture will lead to the bulb rotting in the ground.  If you live in a particularly dry climate, you may need to water to ensure they grow.

Tulips prefer full sun, however you can plant some in partial shade to create variation in the times when they bloom.

When do Tulips Bloom?

Tulips bloom at different times depending on their sun exposure and variety. Tulips come in early, mid, and late season bloom times. My favorite varieties to grow are double late tulips because in my climate these typically bloom in time for Mother’s Day.

How to Protect Tulips from Animals

Tulip bulbs and plants are a tasty treat for several animals. If you have moles and/or voles, you should consider lining your tulip bed with something like chicken wire to prevent varmints from snacking on your bulbs all winter.

Chicken wire can also be used to make a cage over the growing tulips to prevent deer from eating them once they start to grow.

How to Prevent Tulips from Blooming on Short Stems

Consistent water/moisture will prevent tulips from blooming on short stems. If you live in a dry climate, consider watering your tulips regularly, especially once you begin to see them emerge in early spring.

Tulip Harvest:

When to harvest Tulips as Cut Flowers

The earliest tulips should be harvested is once the bud is cracked and color is present. I also like to cut tulips when they are slightly more opened to give customers a better idea of what to expect to see from the flowers (color, form, ect).

Although tulips are the most beautiful when they are fully open, they are past their prime at this point and wont have as long of a vase life. Open tulips also can not be stored well in the cooler.

How to harvest Tulips as Cut Flowers

To harvest tulips for maximum stem length and storage, hold the base of the plant where it meets the soil and slowly wiggle while gently pulling up until the whole plant (including the bulb) pulls from the ground.

Can tulips be stored after harvest?

Yes, tulips can be stored in a fridge or cooler that is set between 32-35 degrees farenheight for 1-2 weeks. The entire plant (with the bulb in tact) can be stored this way, or stems without a bulb can be stored in water.

Tulips will grow up, so if you need to lay the flowers sideways to store be sure to wrap them in paper. I’ve found placing bunches in grocery store paper bags, with a second bag over top works well.

If you are storing cut stems in a bucket with water, you can cut a grocery store paper bag to create a sleeve to wrap around the top of the bunch, holding them together and upright. Bulb crates are also great for storing tulips upright.

How long can tulips be stored after they’ve been harvested?

Tulips can be stored for 1-2 weeks in ideal conditions. Be sure to trim their stems after storage and allow them time to re hydrate. Some stems will come out of storage pretty limp and floppy, but most will recover.

How long do tulips last in a vase?

Tulips will last for 7-10 days when harvested at the proper stage. Frequently changing the water and trimming the ends of the stem is the best way to encourage the longest vase life. Flower food or floral preservative can also be added to clean water to extend vase life.

Using Tulips in Floral Arrangements

Tulips make an excellent flower for floral arrangements, especially because the are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring and come is a variety of colors and forms. Tulip stems are also long and sturdy, making them easier to arrange. Something unique about tulips is that their stems will continue to grow while in a vase. It’s important to account for this lengthening when arranging tulips.

Are tulips a good cut flower?

Tulips are an excellent cut flower, although there are a lot of factors that can prevent them from growing well. They are also a very expensive flower to grow as a cut flower and new bulbs need to be purchased every year. It also take a lot of time and effort to grow and harvest tulips.

However, tulips also have a lot of wonderful qualities. They are showy spring bloomers that come in a variety of colors and forms and can be grown in a small space. They’re also one of the earliest flowers to bloom which makes them a great way to kick off cut flower sales in the spring.

I hope this is helpful if you want to grow tulips for cut flower production, or were just curious about what goes into producing locally grown tulips.

Happy Gardening!