Discover essential tips for plant authentic and stunning tulips , from fill their chilling needs to maintain critters forth .
How and when to plant tulip bulb can seem perplexing to beginning gardeners . Should you institute them in pin or can you plant tulip medulla in give ? How inscrutable do they necessitate to be ? Can you implant the bulbs in tidy sum ? The following planting usher serve all these questions and more . Whether you choose tulips withsingleordouble peak , fringed flush , or even varieties that do n’t look like typical tulip , these springiness - blooming bulbs are prosperous to constitute and grow .
When to Plant Tulip Bulbs
fall is the best time toplant tulips , but the arrival of that season varies importantly across the United States . In general , northerly gardenersplant bulbs outdoorsin September and October , while southern gardeners embed them alfresco in November and December .
Aim to have the bulb in the ground about six week before the ground freeze or thefirst hard frost in your area . As a rule of thumb , it is prison term to found tulips in the surrender when nighttime temperatures are systematically in the forty .
Blaine Moats
Credit:Blaine Moats
Types of Tulip Bulbs
Most tulip seller ship in early downfall , and the most popular varieties sell out quickly , so do n’t wait to locate your order . Selecting tulip bulb can feel like information overload . Here are a few ways to sort out them out when preparing a fall order .
Preparing the Soil
Soil needs for grow tulip in the reason and in pots are similar . honorable drain is essential — miry soil can do bulbs to rot . When planting in containers , employ a high - quality potting mix and a pot with adequate drainage holes .
Terra - cotta plenty wait big with tulip and help modulate soil wet levels .
Planting tulips in the background requires grooming . New beds should be dig or loosened to a depth of 12 inches for larger bulbed varieties . Work in compostto provide organic issue and improve soil structure . Planting tulip bulbs in raised bedscan cut the work involve in digging mysterious beds .
Credit: Jacob Fox
Add a stratum of mulch over the soil to protect the bulb during the winter .
Planting Depth for Tulip Bulbs
Tulip bulb want to be swallow up deep . Tulip bulb sizes vary , so alternatively of using a measuring tape , endeavour to plant tulip about three time as cryptical as their sizing . A 2 - in diam bulb would be planted 6 inches rich ; a miniature 1 - inch electric light only about 3 inches down . Measure from the bottom of the incandescent lamp .
Tulips can be spaced closely . Flower husbandman pack them in berm to shoulder , like eggs in a carton . For the rest home nurseryman , a spacing of two times the size of the bulb provides fantabulous results — so leave 4 inches between 2 - column inch bulbs .
tulip plant in potscan be spaced more nearly together than in out-of-door bed to cater a container bursting with colouration .
Planting Tools and Techniques
Because tulip must be planted deep , you may want to invest in a bulb planter if you have more than a few . Hand - operated planters , large stand - up models , and even augur for cordless drills are all good options . A hand trowel works fine if you only have a few to implant .
Tulip bulb have a definite “ up ” and a “ down . ” Whenplanting tulips , put the bulbs in the hole pointy end up . Placing them in the hole aright have them the good chance of winner .
If you ’re planting a bunch of tulips , comprehend a trench and place the bulbs . Then , fill the oceanic abyss with the removed soil .
Water and Fertilizer Needs
tulip are bulbs , so frequent lacrimation and wet soil can stimulate problems . Water the bulbs well immediately after planting them in the fall , and then do n’t irrigate them again until saltation in most mood . However , long dry spells or desiccated climates may need additional pee in the evenfall . After leafage appears in the outpouring , water once every week or two if it has n’t rain down .
Fertilize tulips when planting in the fall by adding a smattering of compost and about a tablespoonful ofbonemealto the golf hole . After the bulbs sprout in spring , feed them again with bone repast and compost or aslow - release , all - purpose fertiliser .
Tulips that are dug up and composted after blooming do n’t call for spring fertilization .
Protecting Tulip Bulbs
Mice , chipmunks , voles , and other critters obtain tulip bulbs tasty and alimental . If you ’ve hadproblems with rodentseating your electric-light bulb , here are a few ideas to essay :
Frequently Asked Questions
Tulip bulbs do n’t keep like seed . If you missed the choice window , get them in the land as soon as potential . You may still get some peak , even if they are small .
tulip are perennials , but after century of multiply for color , shape , and size , many turn back badly in the play along years . However , if you live in an area with four season , there is no motivation to dig them up as long as they are still blooming . If you want to plant tulip that return reliably year after year , look for varieties recommend for naturalizing .
When properly chill , tulips bloom in the saltation after they are planted , and some will flower year after year .
dead ! Growing tulips indoors in heap usesa technique called ram — tricking the bulb and plant into blooming . pressure is an prosperous way to add bright colouring material to the house when late winter is looking drab .
