Succumb to the Pull of Horticultural History For hundreds of years gardeners have been smitten with the simple beauty of tulips. In beds, pots, urns and even window boxes these true harbingers of spring are dependably charming. Snip a few for a not-too-tall table arrangement you can easily converse over. Or set the stage for delicious dreams with a soft bedside bouquet.
Could it really be spring without tulips?
Outdoor Beds 1. Find a location where the soil drains well. If there are still puddles of water 5-6 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site. Or amend the soil with the addition of organic material to raise the level 2 - 3 inches to improve the drainage. Peat moss, compost, ground bark or decomposed manure all work well and are widely available.
2. Plant your tulips where they will get full sun to light shade. Keep in mind that for tulips to return in subsequent springs they will need a period of winter cooling. This happens easily in northern areas and will occur to the cooler parts of zone 8. (Some bulb sellers suggest that tulips will return after growing the year round warmth of zone 9. Sadly, it's just wishful thinking.)
3. Plant tulips 5" apart and 6" to 7" deep. Deeper planting depths are better in colder regions.
4. After planting, water your bulbs well, thoroughly soaking the area. Roots will form in the autumn. Foliage and flowers will develop in the spring.
5. When in bloom feel free to cut flowers to bring indoors.
6. After flowering has finished for the season, the foliage will gather sunlight and provide nourishment for next year's show. Do not cut the leaves off. Water as needed until the bulbs slip into dormancy.
7. By the early summer the leaves will yellow and die back. The dried foliage may be removed at this point. Your bulbs will rest until next spring when they'll beginning the next growing cycle. When leaves are absent and the bulbs are dormant, withhold water.
Pots, Tubs & Window Boxes 1. Start with containers of good quality, well-drained soil. Tulips that sit in waterlogged soil will rot. Shorter varieties usually perform better in all but the largest containers.
2. Site the containers where they will receive full sun.
3. Plant tulips 4" apart and 6" to 7" deep. Deeper planting depths are better in colder regions.
4. After planting, water your bulbs well, thoroughly soaking the area. Roots will form in the autumn. Foliage and flowers will develop in the spring.
5. When in bloom feel free to cut flowers to bring indoors.
6. After flowering has finished for the season, the foliage will gather sunlight and provide nourishment for next year's show. Do not cut the leaves off. Water as needed until the bulbs slip into dormancy.
7. By the early summer the leaves will yellow and die back. The dried foliage may be removed at this point. Your bulbs will rest until next spring when they'll beginning the next growing cycle. When leaves are absent and the bulbs are dormant, withhold water.
Indoor Forcing Tulip bulbs need to be chilled 10-12 weeks to perform well when forced indoors. As fruits and vegetables in home refrigerators give off gases that kill the partially developed tulip flower inside the bulb, we don't recommend attempting to force these bulbs unless you have a second refrigerator that can be used for this purpose.
