tulip leaves curling small flowers

by Dianne
(PA)

I have the same variety tulips bought at the same time. One cluster is doing beautifully. 15 feet away I have another cluster that the leaves are small and curled and flowers are small if producing at all. I have this problem in most of my flower beds. Half of my tulips of the same variety and age in a bed are beautiful and the other half look terrible. What causes this?


Doug says it sounds suspiciously like thrips. A small (almost invisible) fly-like creature that gets into bulbs (larval form) and disfigures the flowers/leaves. Particularly bad on bulbs like glads and rarely seen on tulips. My .02 is that you're going to dig up and discard the problem clumps.

But if you're determined to save them - discard all leaves and flowers - do not compost.

You could try diggging them up after the leaves go yellow and treating the bulbs. You're after the larva and eggs so clean the tunics (brown paperly substance) off the bulbs. I have seen two major dusting recommendations - dusting with sulfur dust or diatomaceous earth and let sit in a cool, dry place until fall. Replant. That should do the trick... or not.

This can be a major pest of plants once established.

If they were my plants, also I'd be also spraying neem or insecticidal soap on the good plants 2-3 times a week to wipe out the adults (for several weeks in the spring until flowering is finished). If you use sticky cards in your garden, the color blue works better on thrips than the traditional yellow.

Good luck.