How to Plant Tulips in 6 Easy Steps

Posted by Patric Reamona Saturday, April 6, 2013 11:03 AM
Labels: Tulips

How to Plant Tulips in 6 Easy Steps

There is a plethora of articles on this topic, so, I have decided to refrain repetition as much as possible, and offer direct suggestions that citizen ordinarily overlook while planting tulips. This article will serve a good guide for amateurs. I have used unanswered questions from various chat forums to give-out a meaningful article, which I hope, shall help acknowledge your questions too.

Step 1: identify your atmosphere Zone.

To plant Tulips, it is imperative that you understand the atmosphere zone you are in. For this, there are accepted Usda atmosphere Hardiness Zones defined & advanced by the United States agency of Agriculture (Usda) and have subsequently been adopted elsewhere. The first step is to search your zone, which you can do here -
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone. Next, here is a normal idea on When to plant tulips based on your atmosphere zone:

For Zones 4 and 5: September or Early October.
For Zones 6 and 7: October to early November.
For Zones 8 and 9: November to early December.
For Zone 10: Late December to early January.

For zones 8 straight through 10, it is always a good idea to refrigerate tulip bulbs for six to eight weeks before planting. (more of it in the advent steps).

Step 2: resolve which Tulips you wish to grow.

Choosing which Tulips to grow is dependent on where you live (Check your zone), where you're planting (again dependent on zone), and the desired effect.

Two of the coarse ways to group tulips is by bloom time and flower height. Pick varieties with separate flowering times to extend the bloom season.

Since this article is about "How to" plant tulips and not about "Which" Tulips to plant, use your best judgment and your preferences to Pick the Tulip Varieties.

Step 3: Pick the right Tulip Bulbs for plantation.

Choosing the right Tulip Bulbs that won't disappoint you is a bit of technical part but with care, even amateurs can Pick the right ones.

All you need to do is to take care that the Bulbs are large in size, with no cracks or signs of rotting on the covering of the bulb. The larger the bulb size, the bigger and best the flower you'll get

Choose only bulbs that are firm and free of defects such as cuts, bruises, or mold. If you are buying later in the season, be wary of store-bought bulbs. It is recommended that your buying decision should be based upon variety or species name, not color. "Yellow tulips" for instance, can mean separate kinds of varying performance. Or you may get a blend of colors.

Also note, sometimes you may observation an amber gel-like substance called gummosis present on Tulip bulbs. It is not harmful, so as to affect the bulbs' performance. So don't worry about it.

Step 4: choosing the right place to plant & setting the Soil to plant tulips.

Tulips grow best in full sun. These plants prefer a sandy soil which is well drained. Ensure that water does not fetch and the place is not prone to late frosts.

A soil 6 inches deep with 60 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is best noteworthy for planting tulips.

You need the following to plant tulips:

- Bulbs
- Trowel
- Shovel
- Bulb Fertilizer
- Mulch

Using your shovel, unearth soil upto 6 inches and create a level base.
If the soil is light or sandy dig 2 more inches. Now, using a Trowel, plant tulip bulbs, one by one with pointed end facing upwards. Space individual bulbs about 4-5 inches apart. Larger bulbs to be spaced more (5-6 inches), than the smaller bulbs (2-3 inches). Most importantly, plant them so the flower part is facing the sun.

You need to note that Bulbs are food sources for the flower and they begin growing in the wrong direction if facing the wrong direction. Needless to say here, that they would use up significant energy and food trying to find the sun.

Step 5: Add Fertilizer and Cover up

Fertilizer for Tulips is nothing but Compost, peat moss, bone meal. These are used for promoting the growth. If you are using a low-nitrogen granular fertilizer specially formulated for bulbs, follow label directions about the estimate to apply.

Firm soil with the shovel and water thoroughly.

Step 6: additional Care

Apply straw mulch about a month after planting. This gives the bulbs time to begin increase before the soil freezes solidly.

More Things to note:

- Do not water Tulip beds, as most varieties prefer to stay dry in summer, and keep beds weeded. Do not take off foliage until it has yellowed completely.

- Watch out for aphid infestations often identified by streaking of flowers, aphids can render permanent damage to tulips and can spread throughout entire bed. Pluck off any infected tulips.

- Cut off blooms before or as soon as they begin to fade to ensure wholesome increase next season.

- If you are trying to ice tulip bulbs before planting, place them in a paper bag away from ripening fruits (the fruits furnish ethylene gas, which destroys the flower bud within the bulb).