Great reply GardenGal. Just about anything written back in the last century suggests fertilizing after the bulb has bloomed. But research at Kansas State University has discovered that once the bulb has flowered, the roots shut down and any fertilizer applied at this time is wasted. Why don't I let them tell you themselves. I hope that I am not breaking any copy write laws... Oh, one last thing, I have wondered if giving them a good foliar feed with Miracle Gro or Fish Emulsion while they are blooming would be useful. I'll shut up now Released: February 18, 2000 Feed Tulips, Daffodils When They Emerge MANHATTAN, Kan. Gardeners often waste fertilizer on spring-flowering bulbs. Traditional gardening lore holds that the time to feed tulips, daffodils and the like is while or after they bloom. Scientists have found, however, that when these plants begin to flower, their roots start to die  which shuts off the route fertilizer needs to reach the bulb. "The roots are most active when the plants foliage first pokes through the ground in spring," said Ward Upham, K-State Research and Extension horticulturist. "If you feed spring-flowering bulbs then, theyÂll make best use of the nutrients that help produce flowers the following year." Tradition also holds that gardeners should leave springÂflowering bulbs foliage in place until it dies naturally. That folk wisdom is exactly on-target, Upham said. Each yearÂs eight weeks of fading foliage is more important than fertilizer for ensuring next yearÂs blooms. "After flowering, however, the plant is transferring energy from its dying foliage to its bulb, not taking nutrients up from the ground," he said. "So, fertilizer applied then really is a total waste." Which early-spring fertilizer to apply depends on the nutrients already in the soil. "An on-site soil test is the only sure way to know. But if youÂve applied a complete fertilizer to the bulbs in the past, chances are your soil wonÂt need phosphorus and potassium," Upham said. "In that case, blood meal is excellent, applied at a rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet or 1 teaspoon per square foot." An "okay" alternative is turf fertilizers, applied at two-thirds pound per 100 square feet. These fertilizers typically list their nutrient content with three-number groupings such as 27-3-3 and 30-3-3. For soils that need phosphorus and potassium, Upham recommended using a complete fertilizer at a rate of 2.5 pounds per 100 square feet or 1 rounded teaspoon per square foot. Complete fertilizers carry near-equal numbers on their labels (e.g., 10-10-10 and 9-9-6). # # # Filler: Spring-flowering bulbs get smaller and weaker year after year unless theyÂre allowed to keep their foliage until it dies. Unfortunately, the dying leaves arenÂt too attractive. So, gardeners often try to make the spent foliage look better by braiding it or folding it into a sheaf with a rubberband or string. "If you donÂt want to watch the leaves die, however, simply interplant your spring-flowering bulbs with a perennial that will be growing up as the bulb foliage dies down," he advised. "Many people find some variety of day lily works well in this kind of situation." -30- K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan. Kathleen W. Ward Communications Specialist

I don't bother waiting until fall -- why let them sit there. I put my forced bulbs in the ground as soon as I know the danger of a severe freeze (below 28 degrees) is over. They can take a freeze/frost, and the outdoor conditions are much more conducive to regenerating a large, quality bulb for the next year than indoor conditions. That being said, tulips, out of almost any forced bulb crop, are about the least likely to be successful in future years, due to their general nature. Depends upon the exact type and variety, of course, but most types commonly used for forcing, such as the single early tulips, are not reliable re-bloomers anyway as a rule, add in the stress of forcing, and, well, don't be too surprised if you mostly just get leaves next year.

That depends on the tub and the daffodils. If you want to use the tub over summer for a display you can tip out the bulbs and put them aside in a cool and airy-dry place until it's time to replant. If you don't need the tub for summer you can put the whole thing out of sight and leave the bulbs in the potting mixture. However. If the tub is not deep (around 24") what often happens is the bulbs sneak to the bottom and, when their new roots begin, they have only a small area of soil to grow in. You end up with a big mass of tangled roots all trying to escape through the drain holes. When replanting time comes it is probably 'best' to tip out the contents of the tub and sort the bulbs for size. Put the little offsets into a separate container or directly in the ground. Use fresh mix and replant the larger bulbs. When they start showing through you can sprinkle some slow release fertiliser on the surface and gently 'stir' it through the top inch or so of mix. Please note: some sorts of Narcissus will be up and in full leaf far earlier in their second year than when you first bought the bulbs. For example - my paperwhites and jonquils are already in flower - and we haven't had the first frost yet. They were coming into action, with roots, back in February/March (your August-September). although the leaves were later to show above the ground.

Albert, Donna has given you a great amount of detail about how to get your bulbs to rebloom. I'm not sure what you were asking. I thought you wanted to know what would happen if you did nothing....and so, if you do nothing, they will continue to grow and eventually rebloom on their own schedule as long as the bulb has stored enough nutrients to support the fomation of the scape and blooms within the bulb. Funny, stressed plants tend to bloom as a last procreative resort, which is why the dormancy period (withholding watering and cooler temperatures) is so effective at "forcing" a bloom. Most of us grow the bulbs for their blooms, not for their foliage, so you most likely won't find many answers for "What happens if I don't do anything"...other than what is already in your thread....they will just grow...and they might bloom. Most often the question is "What do I need to do to get my bulbs to bloom again, and as you can see from Donna's reply, there is a schedule to it. Are you fertilizing the plants? A general practice is to use half-strength Miracle Gro at least every other watering. The bulbs typically have to have grown to at least 8 leaves before they are considered blooming size. The bulbs that you bought had been "primed" for blooming, only needing water and warmth to bloom. Some only need warmth, as we see to many bulbs blooming in their boxes at L and HD! Some of us have been growing Hippeastrum/amaryllis for decades, most have been growing them for at least several years...the FAQ is a nice assembly of actual responses from the list over the years. Your Lowe's sale bulbs should be very happy in the room that you have described, growing and growing. The natural blooming cycle in your zones may be later in the spring. If you'll post a general location for where you live, at least what state, others on the map near you (the Sunset zone 2-3 cover many states) may be able to provide additional info depending on what your goal is for the bulbs (reblooming?). K