Even though these flowers have lost in price, they are still highly-welcomed guests in the garden. How to plant tulips in the garden? Learn the secrets below in the article.
How to Cultivate Tulips in the Garden
Original tulip bulbs can impress you by a variety of species and colours: visit the website to check the available tulip bulbs online. If you want to grow these beautiful flowers to always bring you joy and surprise you with the result, you need to know and adhere to the following rules:
- The number of annual fertilizing — at least 3 times;
- As soon as the tulips appear, you can easily determine which mineral fertilizers they need or diagnose some diseases;
- Leaves and stems of tulips are very delicate, so while processing the soil with a hoe, be careful and avoid damaging them;
- The size of the bud can be increased next year if you cut the buds immediately after they have wilted to prevent the appearance of seeds and improve the quality of new planting material;
- If you plan to dig up the bulbs and plant them in the future, dry the planting material under diffused sunlight;
- If there is little snow in your area, mulch the soil before the frosts with leaves, or straw;
- When cutting off the stems of tulips to decorate the interior, be sure to leave 3-4 leaves on the plant to ensure the full development of the bulb;
- Do not plant tulips in the same flower bed.
Make sure to do some planning and get supplies according to the specific needs of your garden layout and the local climate. Homeowners often like to buy mulch in bulk here so they would not have to worry about running out during the critical insulation phase before the first deep freeze hits. Having an ample supply on hand ensures that every flower bed receives a thick, protective layer to keep the bulbs dormant and safe. By staying prepared with the right materials, you can guarantee a vibrant and healthy display of tulips when spring finally arrives.
The Best Time for Planting
As a rule, tulips are planted in spring or autumn. Autumn planting is preferable, but the bulbs need about a month for rooting. If the bulbs are planted in spring, they will not grow as actively as those that have managed to take root in the fall, so the flowers will be small. In the case of autumn planting, you need to be careful, because if you plant the bulbs too early, they will sprout, and sudden frosts will destroy them. Therefore, tulips are planted in mid-September at a depth of 12 cm, when the soil temperature is + 10C. There are a variety of commercial planters available to display tulips at their best.
Preparing the Soil for Tulips
To prepare a flower bed for growing tulips, you need to start in advance: dig up the soil, and make holes, depending on which planting method you choose (in groups, rows, etc.). The recommended distance between large bulbs is 20 cm., while small ones need around 10 cm between them. Before planting the bulbs, keep them in the refrigerator for 15-20 hours, then disinfect and germinate the planting material for 2-3 hours. Tulips prefer the areas with plenty of sunlight, and well-drained, breathable soil.
So, approach the above tips, and your flowers will bring you a lot of joy.