Recycling potted bulbs - Letter to the Editor

I would like to use the ideas from the "Bulbs for Pots" article (October, page 76), but it seems wasteful to me to throw the bulbs away after only one season of bloom. I ordered dozens of good-quality bulbs for a great showing in spring. Can I reuse the bulbs after putting them in the pot?

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Allium and daffodil bulbs can be transplanted into garden beds, as can Dutch hyacinths in areas with distinct winter chill. Pots of hybrid tulip bulbs may continue to bloom for two or three years, but flower quality and size diminish each year. To slow this decline, apply a complete fertilizer when flower buds appear in spring, and let the bulbs dry out after foliage withers in summer. It's usually more productive to plant new hybrid tulips each fall. Another option is to use long-blooming botanical (species) tulips.

--Emily Carlson Seattle

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