Do this by first placing the tulip in a shady spot. Every day or two, gradually move the tulip to a sunnier spot until it is receiving full, unfiltered sunlight. Then, dig a hole the size of the pot that the tulip is in. If you can, cut the pot away from the soil and place the tulip, soil and all, in the hole. Once planted, water well and then care for as you would any other tulip. In USDA hardiness Zones 7 through 10, the ground may not get down to at least 50 degrees for the 14 weeks that tulips require to bloom.
But fret not—there are a couple of things you can do to get around the laws of tulips. You can also keep your tulips in partial shade, where the ground stays a bit cooler. Failing that, check out hybridized tulips that are designed to grow in warmer climates. Wild tulips, which are smaller than regular tulips, do well in Zones 7 and 8, as do Darwin Hybrids , which have been specially bred to withstand warmer temperatures.
In Zones 9 and 10, you will almost certainly need to refrigerate tulip bulbs each year to get fresh blooms, no matter which variety you choose.
Most gardeners plant their tulips between September and December because these cold-weather plants need to be chilled in order to bloom.
Dig a hole eight to 12 inches deep and place the bulb at the bottom with the pointed top facing upwards. If you feel the soil needs more nutrients, then mix in a few handfuls of compost with the loosened soil before you bury the bulb. Then water the bulb in, place a thin layer of mulch on the soil and wait for spring! To care for your tulips, follow a simple calendar, like this:. Amber Kanuckel is a freelance writer from rural Ohio who loves all things outdoors.
The bulbs will need to be chilled in the refrigerator for about 12 weeks before planting. Bulb suppliers often offer pre-chilled bulbs for sale, too. Even if you find an unplanted sack of tulips or daffodils in January or February, plant them and take your chances. See more about planting tulips in winter. Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site Tulips prefer a site with full or afternoon sun.
Soil must be well-draining, neutral to slightly acidic, fertile, and dry or sandy. All tulips dislike areas with excessive moisture. Tall varieties should be sheltered from strong winds. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. How to Plant Tulips Plant bulbs fairly deep—6 to 8 inches deep, or about three times the height of the bulb.
Dig a hole deeper than that in order to loosen the soil and allow for drainage. In clay soils, plant 3 to 6 inches deep instead. Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up.
Cover with soil and press soil firmly. Water bulbs right after planting. Bulbs are their own complete storage system and contain all of the nutrients they need for one year. Use organic material, compost, or a balanced time-release bulb food.
To deter mice and moles —if they have been a problem—put holly or any other thorny leaves in the planting holes. Some gardeners use kitty litter or crushed gravel. If ravenous voles and rodents are a real problem, you may need to take stronger measures, such as planting bulbs in buried wire cages.
How to Grow Tulips If it rains weekly, do not water. However, if there is a dry spell and it does not rain, you should water the bulbs weekly until the ground freezes. Rainy summers, irrigation systems, and wet soil are death to tulips. Never deliberately water a bulb bed unless in a drought. Wet soil leads to fungus and disease and can rot bulbs. Add shredded pine bark, sand, or any other rough material to the soil to foster swift drainage.
Apply compost annually to provide nutrients needed for future blooms. In the spring, when leaves emerge, feed your tulip the same bulb food or bone meal which you used at planting time. Water well. Deadhead tulips as soon as they go by, but do not remove the leaves! Allow the leaves to remain on the plants for about 6 weeks after flowering. After the foliage turns yellow and dies back, it can be pruned off.
Large varieties may need replanting every few years; small types usually multiply and spread on their own. Gray mold Slugs Snails Aphids Nematodes Bulb rot Squirrels , rabbits, mice , and voles are especially fond of tulip bulbs.
Tulip flowers may be single, double, ruffled, fringed, or lily-shaped, depending on the variety. Though tulips tend be planted as annuals, the Darwin Hybrid tulips are known to act as perennials, blooming for several years. There are so many beautiful varieties of tulips.
Explore catalogs and experiment in your garden! Even while the tulip is blossoming, the bulb is dividing for the next generation. To get the longest vase life, cut tulip stems diagonally, then wrap the upper two-thirds of the flowers in a funnel of newspaper and stand them in cool water for an hour or two.
Then, recut the stems and the tulips will last at least a week. Red tulips symbolize a declaration of love.
Explore more flower meanings here. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? Planting Fall Bulbs for Spring Flower Bulb Problems and Solutions. How to Cut Back Perennials in Fall. When to Plant Flowers.
Flower Garden Designs: Three The Best Fall Flowers for Your If you order today, your bulbs will be delivered at the optimum planting time. Send me your questions! Older Post Newer Post. How to Grow Tulips in Pots or Containers? A movable flower feast — growing tulips in pots and containers Geraniums in a windowsill, fresh basil for cooking, a cactus that can withstand any kind of neglect…Putting nature in pots and placing it in and around the house is something that people have been doing for millennia.
How to grow tulips in pots or containers — the best containers Tulips will need a large container. Growing tulips in pots or containers — soil and planting Planting time for pots and containers is the same as for your garden: Fall. How to grow tulips in pots and containers — after planting The first thing to do after planting is to water well. Tulips in pots or containers — going outside and aftercare Once early spring comes around, your tulips will start peeking above the surface.
Tulips at your doorstep Do you want to add a dazzling splash of color to your deck, entryway or windowsill? Once the blooms fade, don't toss the bulbs out with the pot. Instead, transplant them into your garden. Although you may have to wait an extra year for the bulbs to bloom, you will at least get to enjoy them in your garden from that year forward.
Watch your potted tulips carefully. Stop watering the plant once the foliage begins to turn brown, and wait for the foliage to die back completely. During this process, the foliage transfers nutrients to the bulb, where it will be stored until the following spring.
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