A springtime without tulips would not be the same. These magnificent bulbs produce stunning blooms in nearly every colour imaginable, ranging from cool pastels to vivid hues. Grow beautifully in pots, and they are ideal for bringing colour to borders in April and May.
Spring bulbs called tulips are sown in the middle to end of October. Tulips are perennial in nature, but many varieties only reliably flower for a single year due to years of breeding to produce the most beautiful blooms. To guarantee a good display, many gardeners plant fresh bulbs every autumn. Every year, you must plant new bulbs if you're growing tulips in pots.
Certain tulips flower earlier than others; late-season bulbs bloom in May, early-season bulbs bloom from very late March to April, and late-season bulbs bloom from April to May. Growing a variety of types will help you extend your displays. Additionally, you can mix the colours, heights, and forms of flowers.
Tips To Grow Tulip Plants
Growing in full sun or partial shade is ideal for tulip plants. Choose a position that will receive at least 3 hours of full sun each day.
Tulip plants need a loose, well drained soil loaded with organic matter. Prepare soil by weeding it carefully, digging it over to at least a spade’s depth to loosen the soil, and adding aged animal dung or compost. Organic debris can be dug into heavy soil to loosen it so roots can grow freely. Keep the area free of weeds until planting. Find out more about getting soil ready for planting here.
Tulip plants can be grown in containers. If possible, select a cultivar suggested for container growing. Make sure the container is big enough for mature plants (at least 10 litres for tulips) and uses high-quality potting mix. Remember that extra fertiliser may be necessary for container-grown plants to support healthy growth during the growing season.
How To Plant Bulbs of Tulips?
Tulip is a cold environment bulb that needs a time of cold weather in winter to flower. In places that do not get regular frosts, tulip bulbs can be refrigerated to imitate a cold winter. Before planting, keep the bulbs in an open paper bag in the refrigerator for six to eight weeks, away from ripe fruit and vegetables.
- Planting tulip bulbs in a container or the garden should be done immediately where they will end up.
- With the pointed tip pointing up, plant separate bulbs 20 cm apart and 15-20 cm deep.
- Fill well with water and cover with earth.
- Until shoots appear, keep the soil damp but not soggy.
How To Grow Tulips: General Guidelines
Tulip plants may need watering during the growing season. Water the soil approximately 5 cm below the surface when it is dry—you can check this by using your finger to scrape off a small amount of soil. Learn more!
- If the soil is well prepared no further fertiliser should be necessary, as bulbs store all the energy needed to blossom from the previous year's growth.
- Fertilise bulbs with old or pelletised chicken dung, blood and bone, and plenty of water once they have flowered.
- Tulip plants should flower in roughly 60-90 days.
Regularly prune or cut tulip blossoms regularly during the growing season. Using sharp secateurs or snips, clip flowers for plucking with the longest stems possible, or snap off dead blooms. Removing old blossoms frequently will send the plant's energy back into the bulb rather than into the creation of seeds.
Once the foliage has flowered, allow it to naturally fall down. The bulb will utilise the nutrients found in the leaves to develop the blooms for the following season. Once all foliage has died down use sharp secateurs or snips to clip individual leaves at ground level.
- When cultivated in warm areas and pots, bulbs are typically considered annuals and thrown out after they flower.
- Bulb lifting and chilling are necessary before replanting in cool but frost-free areas to guarantee recurrent flowering.
- Bulbs can be raised when they get overcrowded or in cold locations with frequent frosts, or they can be left in the ground to naturally occur.
- To remove tulip bulbs from the ground, carefully lift the bulbs with a garden fork so as not to injure them.
- If any dead leaves are still clinging to the bulb, remove them. Keep lightbulbs cold and dry. You can store them in a netting bag or on a wire rack that allows for optimum airflow.
In fall, tulip bulbs are sown from mid-September until the ground freezes. Planting should wait until the soil has cooled after the summer growing season. Next spring, these bulbs will blossom. For the most beautiful springtime bulbs, ask your gardeners.