Tips for Growing Tulips

March 19, 2014 tejvan

A good Tulip speaks for itself and more loudly when it’s spring again……..

tulips

Tulips are a very rewarding spring bulb. In good conditions they can flower every year with little attention. However, for the best performance they need treating like an annual and get lifted and stored at the end of the growing season.

tulips

Tips for Growing Tulips

Tulips like good well drained soil. Add extra grit or sand at the base of the planting hole.
Tulips should be planted at a depth of roughly three times the length of the bulb. I plant them even deeper at 10″ or so.
The best time to plant tulips is October or November. They can even be planted in early December if the ground is not frozen.
If Tulips are becoming overcrowded, they will be less likely to flower. Dig up the bulbs as the leaves are starting to die back and divide the bulbs. Plant at a good distance apart
Tulips are fairly disease resistant but sometimes get infected with Tulip Fire – leaves go brown and wilt. If this is the case dig up the bulbs and destroy. Make sure you don’t plant in infected soil. Practise soil rotation.
Like other bulbs, Tulips need to be allowed to die back so that the bulb can get new energy. It is fine to dead head dying flowers, but stems must be allowed to die back naturally.

Tulips in Pots.

Tulips do well in pots as it is easier to make sure they get good drainage. After flowering, the tulips can either be left to die back or put in some corner of garden. The bulbs can then be stored in a dry spot until planting season in Autumn.