Do
you dream about fields of Dutch tulips and wonder how you can bring it to life
in your own garden? Tulips are a quintessential spring bloom, often associated
with the season. Tulip festivals are held annually all over the world in April
and May. But did you know that in order to produce these bold, bright blooms,
you need to prepare in the fall?
Setting
up your soil to be an ideal flowerbed for tulips should begin now - in October!
Planting of tulip bulbs are traditionally done in late fall, typically November.
The reason behind cold season planting is that tulips are a species very
susceptible to disease, which can lurk in too-warm soil. Cold weather helps
wipe out the viral and fungal disease that threatens tulip bulbs. If you live
in an area that frosts over early, you can bump up your planting time to
October so that the ground is still soft enough for planting.
Follow
these tips to ensure bright, beautiful tulips will greet you in the spring:
●
Time it right - Purchase your bulbs only when you are ready to plant.
They belong in the ground, so you’ll want to get them there as quickly as
possible.
●
Choose the right spot - Tulips love full sunlight. Choose a site that
will offer full, or at the very least, afternoon sun exposure.
●
Put them in proper soil - Tulips are a variety that do not care to be
watered. They thrive in dry, sandy soil. Wet soil can be disastrous to tulip
bulbs, so taking steps to ensure proper soil drainage, like adding sand or
shredded pine bark, will help your tulips thrive.
●
Plant them deep - Tulips should be planted at least 8 inches down,
measuring from the base of the bulb.
●
Know when to water - You should water bulbs right after planting,
because although tulips prefer dry soil, bulbs need water to trigger growth.
After this initial watering, there is no need to intentionally water the soil
again, unless there has been a particularly dry weather spell (uncommon for our
area).
If
you follow the above steps, and compost annually in the fall, your garden
should come alive with beautiful perennial tulip blooms every spring. Come to
Wayside Garden Center to pick up your tulip bulbs, and talk to our
knowledgeable staff for additional planting tips. For more information on our
selection of plants, trees, soil, and landscaping services, visit our website or call 585-223-1222.
