You don’t have to be an expert florist to make beautiful flower arrangements. In fact, any gardener can make a lovely vase filled with the freshest blooms. That’s one of the main reasons that I grew to love tulips so quickly. Tulips, specifically double tulips, can help create enchanting table decor without much effort at all.Â
In picking tulips, growers will first need to decide if they want to leave the bulb in place. In my garden, tulips will not bloom again, though technically perennial. The climate range for re-blooming is very narrow, actually. For this reason, I always pull the entire plant from the garden. The bulbs will be removed after picking. Since tulips do contain toxins, you’ll want to make sure to wear gloves to avoid skin irritation. Don’t forget to properly dispose of spent bulbs, too. 
You can pick tulip flowers at many different times. For the longest vase life, pick the flowers as they are just starting to crack open. The flower buds should be fully colored and soft to the touch. These flowers will generally open after a day or two in a vase. 
If you’re like me, you like to enjoy the flower in the garden, as well as in a vase. I let many of my flowers open completely, as seen in the photo above. Though these Mount Tacoma tulips are already open, their vase life will still be quite long – usually about a week. 
Regardless of when you pick them, it will be important to remember that tulips continue to grow after cutting. This means that the stems will also continue to lengthen. Keeping water fresh will be essential in ensuring the longest vase life possible. Don’t forget to rotate the vase often, as sometimes tulips can bend and grow towards the direction of light. Do you have any tips for beautiful tulip vases? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!
