All About Tulip Gardens

As the curtain of winter lifts, tulips are one of the first flowers to take the spring stage. As the last drifts of snow seep into the soil, these spellbinding signs of spring dance in the sunLight. However, you don't have to wait for spring to grow tulips. Either it lies in a bed, under a shrub, in the crevices of a rock organery or in a container, a tulip bulb is an underground flower factory just waiting to "spring up" from anyone soil it occupies.

All About Tulip Gardens

All About Tulip Gardens

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All About Tulip Gardens

All About Tulip Gardens

The whole purpose of a tulip bulb is to flower. In fact, in the center of each bulb, tiny leaves cradle a baby bud. The white, onion-like bulb that surrounds the bud stores all the nutrients that the bud needs to sprout and grow. The only real help the tulip needs to grow is a generous drink of water and some soil to keep it moist.

Selecting Cultivars

When choosing bulbs, a straightforward rule of thumb is that the bigger the bulb, the bigger the flower. Select plump bulbs that are firm and heavy for their size. Although the tunic (outer papery skin) need not be intact, avoid bulbs that are withered, overly dry, scarred, and have traces of mold, soft spots, or other blemishes. However, more difficult than choosing bulbs is first choosing from the over 100 varieties of tulips which are divided into 15 divisions. Just choice from different divisions can help you plan a tulip organery that begins in early spring and dances on through the end of May!

1. single Early

Short-stemmed tulips (usually about 8-inches high) that flower in late March and early April.

2. duplicate Early

A profusion of petals on 12 to 15 inch stems makes an spellbinding display when these bulbs are forced indoors. Although they usually bloom from early to mid-April, they are more delicate than some other cultivars and need security from cold and inclement weather.

3. Triumph

A proper since 1923 when they were named by Dutch breeder, N. Zandbergen, these tulips take the throne at the end of April as they tower to 18 inches high.

4. Darwin Hybrids

One of the tallest organery tulips (usually over 2-feet tall) these red and yellow beauties are exquisite for naturalizing and are those you generally see returning in established gardens May after May.

5. single Late

Originally known as bungalow tulips, these hybrids inter-mingled and successfully merged with Darwin hybrids. Like the Darwins, they grow well over 2-feet tall and bloom in May.

6. Lily-Flowered

Another May-flowering tulip, this group was originally grouped with bungalow tulips but was reclassified in 1958. On stems that grow from 1 ½ to 2-feet tall, long, shapely flowers have pointed petals that most closely resemble native Turkish tulips and boast the first scented tulip, the Ballerina, in their troupe.

7. Fringed

A short (12 to 18 inches) but showy group of tulips that brightens the May organery with ruffles that Either mirror or add a contrasting color to the rest of the bloom.

8. Viridiflora

May blooms with a flash of green streaked through their petals, this group of tulips varies from one to two-feet tall.

9. Rembrandt

Once extremely prized by gardeners, today these tulips are nearly obsolete. Although streaked with gorgeous breaks and stripes of artistic color, it was discovered that this palette was created by a virus that could spread to other tulip cultivars. Although some suppliers still offer the Rembrandt, these tulips are no longer commercially grown and advertised types are generally no relation to the true Rembrandt cultivars.

10. Parrot

A riot of petals that curl in all directions, these blooms look like they could use some preening. However, they aren't named for their resemblance to feathers, but rather for the bud that resembles a parrot's beak. A few of these May-blooming cultivars are scented. They generally grow from 16 to 24 inches tall.

11. duplicate Late (Peony Flowered)

Although less defiant to poor weather, peony flowered cultivars are someone else exquisite choice for holder tulip growing. From mid to late May, these tall (1 ½ to 2-feet) blooms bear a profusion of petals in close resemblance to their namesake.

12. Kaufmanniana

If you have difficulty in pronouncing the name of this group, you can also call its cultivars 'water lily tulips'. Opening flat under the mid-March sun, the foliage of these flowers is characterized by deep purple or brown blotches. Shorter than some other cultivars, the Kaufmanniana is only 6 to 12 inches high.

13. Fosteriana

Greigii crossed with Kaufmanniana "fostered" this division. From 8 to 18 inches tall, these tulips add drama to the April organery with foliage that ranges from grey-green to slick green.

14. Greigii

Another short (8 to 12 inches) increasing to the early spring organery (late March to early April), stunning wavy edged foliage provides a exquisite backdrop for an eruption of upright blooms that stand amidst a frame of flared-out petals.

15. Species

The last and the least? This group is truly the dwarf (4 to 12 inches) of the tulip family. However, they're easy to naturalize and their cheery blooms repeat year after year anytime from March to May, some varieties even seeding themselves freely! They are specific proof that good things come in small packages!

Planting the tulip Bulbs

Although grown in Holland since the late 16th Century, tulips are native to the mountains of Turkey. There, the winters are cold, the spring rains are plentiful and they have cold winters, plentifulness of water in the spring, and the rest of the year is well... Hot! Tulips need the warmth of summer sun to ripen next year's flower buds. However, they need the cold of winter to rest for their spellbinding emergence in spring.

Generally, unplanted bulbs are difficult to keep over winter. Once evening temperatures dip to 50F, it's time to put them in the ground. Fall is also the best time to nourish your tulips. Before you begin planting bulbs, work nutrient rich compost through your soil. Although bulbs will grow in nearly any type of soil, the richer your soil is, the bigger your bulb lift will be next summer. Good drainage is someone else crucial factor in keeping bulbs healthy.

Plant bulbs two to three times their height. For compact displays, plant them closely together, but not touching. The root side of a bulb is the more rounded side; the pointed side is the part that will open and sprout foliage and flower.

Container Tulip Tips

Choose holder size agreeing to the height of your cultivar and the density of your bulb planting. Plant bulbs the same as you would organery grown-tulips, production sure there is at least ½ inch of soil below the planting.

Plant tulips for indoor forcing in September and October. Place pots in a cool organery spot (outdoors) and cover them with an inch of clean soil. When top growth is about ½ -inch to 1-inch, replacement them indoors to a darkened area with a maximum temperature of 60F. Let the stems lengthen for about three weeks and return them to a Lighted area with a sLightly higher temperature.

Use fresh soil-based potting mixtures only. Peat based mixtures may burn the roots of your bulbs and soil less mixtures dry too quickly.

If putting containers outdoors, safe them from severe frosts particularly when combined with penetrating winds. Store them in a cool area like your stable or wrap with sacking or straw and cover them with plastic bags until the weather is more tulip-friendly.

It is critical to keep tulip containers sufficiently watered. Unlike organery grown plants, those in containers cannot seek for water deeper within their environment. Dry pots effect in stunted and shriveled flower heads.

Tulip Care

When tulips are done flowering, Either snip the stem or deadhead the bloom. However, let the leaves die naturally. This is the time the bulb absorbs the nutrients it needs for next year's growth. When the foliage becomes discolored, reMove it to forestall "tulip fire", which can poison your soil. This is also a good time to lift any tulip bulbs that you want to reMove from your garden.

Lifting bulbs isn't any more complex than digging them out of the ground or dumping them out of the pot. usually each bloom produces one good-sized bulb and two smaller offshoots that can be discarded. Allow lifted bulbs to dry naturally. Then store them somewhere cool in an airy holder (net yield bags and burlap bags work well) to Supply good circulation until next planting time.

Tulip Problems

When tulips yield foliage but no flowers, the most probable cause is damage caused by slugs or snails. Although liquid slug killers are available from most organery centers, most of them are toxic to useful organisms and insects in your organery as well as your pets and your family. The easiest way to deter slugs from invading your tulips is to generate a fence of lava rock or diatomaceous earth nearby your tulips. Both have sharp edges that kill invading pests by cutting into their skin and causing them to dry up. someone else efficient way to operate slugs is with beer traps. Partially filled cans buried up to the lip will attract and drown slugs.

All About Tulip Gardens

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