Spring is synonymous with flourishing tulips, a gardener’s delight and among the simplest to grow. Unlike many flowers, tulips have a built-in flower within the bulb. Visualize tulips as a pack of flowers that just needs to be deployed into the ground. But, like many beautiful things in nature, there are complications. Tulips of the first spring, are not the same as perennial tulips. Most of the time, managing tulips that return and tulips that don’t comes down to in the autumn.
When to plant
Among the many bits of wisdom and advice concerning tulips, the timing of the tulip planting takes precedence. Tulips are planted many months after other flowers that bloom at spring. September and October boast the planting of flowers such as daffodils and crocus. For tulips, the months of November and December serve as the best months. The soil needs to be colder to reduce the risk of tulip fires. Tulip fires are a fungal infection that is a gardener’s nightmare. Even the tulips planted as late as Christmas, can bloom around the New Year and beyond.
The best bulbs sell out by early autumn, so buy bulbs early! They can be stored (with no issues) in a cool, dry, dark place. Growing tulips is an expertise of many specialists, including Bloms Bulbs. They sell many varieties for autumn delivery, and by browsing a specialty site, one can learn a lot more than a garden center can teach about tulips.
Where and How to Plant
To persist for many seasons, tulips need to be planted in ideal conditions. Tulips are from central Asian hills that have cold and dry climates, so they need a sunny spot with very well drained soil. Heavy soil can be worked with grit, or bulbs can be planted in pots.
Bulbs should be planted deeper than most people think, about 15 to 20 cm. This depth protects from frost, from soil too wet, and from border tools (the bulbs won’t be disturbed). Tulips will be more likely to flower again if they are deeply planted. They should be planted in groups for the best aesthetics and tulips should be planted about 10 cm apart with the pointed end facing up.
What happens during spring
There’s often not much work to be done in the garden during spring. Many plants sprout as early as the late winter. The sprouts are resistant to the cold, so they need no help from us. Then come the flowers. Flowering can depend on the variety, occurring anywhere from March to May. The work in the garden really has us most busy after flowering. In order to allow the plants to conserve more energy, go ahead and pick off the spent blooms. The leaves can and should not be touched. The leaves will die on their own in time. The leaves feed the plant so it has energy to bloom the following spring, so they should go neglected as they contribute to the bloom. The most common issue tulips have returning in the spring is from cutting the leaves too early.
Will there be more tulips
Tulips are no exception to the common saying of “not all things being equal.” The Darwin hybrids and the species tulips can almost be truly perennial as they come back each and every year. The fancier tulips, particularly the doubles and the parrots, tend to even with ideal conditions. After their first spring, they tend to die. Many gardeners end up purchasing new bulbs every year in order to have tulips in the garden, so they can be appreciated every spring. There is little reason to discard this approach, as it is optimal for everyone.
Tulip Fire and Other Issues
Tulip fire manifests in spotted flowers and twisted scorched foliage. When it contaminates soil, it becomes a persistent problem. Infected plants must be thrown in the trash, and no tulips can be planted in that spot for at least three years. The best prevention is late planting in cold soil. Additionally, clean firm bulbs should be bought, and only firm bulbs should be used. Any bulbs that are soft or moldy should be discarded.
Squirrels and mice love to dig and eat fresh tulip bulbs. If they are a problem, a piece of chicken wire must be laid over the planting area and removed in late winter to save a lot of heartache.
Choosing Varieties
Consider what flowers bloom at what times of year rather than what blooms at what times. Singles bloom in March, Triumphs and early Darwins bloom in April, and Parrots, Lily-flowered, and late Double blooms fill the the month of May. These will give you two months of blooms rather than two weeks. A few reliable varieties:
- Queen of Night, a late black tulip, with white flowers, and very attractive
- Ballerina, a soft orange, highly fragrant, and a lily-flowered tulip
- Spring Green, white with green, a very elegant tulip, and a great perennial
- Apeldoorn, the very classic and reliable red Darwin hybrid
- Little Beauty, a tiny perennial species tulip, great for pots and gravel
Tulips in Pots
Tulips look great in pots, especially in small gardens because pots can be tucked away out of the way over winter and then brought out when in full bloom. Bulbs can be packed much closer together, and can be packed in three layers. Use a large pot for bulb lasagnes, a technique that can give you a pot full of fresh flowers for over six weeks. Use very gritty, free draining, compost and pack the pots in a pot to keep the trench winter off.
Tulips arrange nicely and they keep growing! You can often see them stretching several centimeters taller, resulting in a very messy looking vase. This can be explained by their natural growing tendency. To keep them from growing too much, snip the buds before they bloom (the buds should be colored but not yet fully opened). Accept the leaning direction as their natural charm, as fixing will only be futile.