Every garden needs a place for hardy natural spring electric light , such as tulip . They issue during the drab , greyish days of former spring to brighten the garden when little else is unripened . Properly planted , tulips cater a bright stain of color in the garden for several years , although they finally lose steam and should be replanted . Since they stay in the ground for several years , take extra care during planting to give them a strong start .
Selecting Tulips
Shop for tulip bulbs in early fall for the best selection at local greenhouse and garden nerve centre . Select tulip electric light that are adapted to your climate and choose medulla that are large and heavy for their size . The bulbs should have a papery , dry skin . Avoid bulbs that are lightweight or have flabby spot on them , which betoken decay .
Tulip Varieties
Look through any bulb catalog and you ’ll discover hundreds of tulip , but they can all be classified into one of four groups . Early - flowering tulip , such as ‘ General de Wet , ’ bloom short after crocuses in late winter . They usually have single flowers that tolerate on tall radical . Midseason tulips , such as ‘ Mendel ’ and ‘ Triumph ’ grow 26 to 30 in high and come in many colors . The blooms are long - live and withstand recent wintertime storm . recently - flowering varieties admit several more showy varieties , such as the “ Darwin ” tulip that have egg - shaped bloom , “ Lily flowered ” tulips with vase - regulate bloom , and the spectacular “ Parrot ” tulip that have blooms with ruffled or fringed blossoms . One final category of tulips is species tulips , which are actually hybrid of several mintage . Most species tulips are short - stemmed , such asT.greiggiandT. fosterana . These tulips vary in their bloom clock time , but are usually longer experience than other types of tulip .
When choosing tulip , establish the ones best adapt to your neighborhood , as well as gardening berth . Short - stemmed tulips work well at the front of a repeated moulding , while long - halt tulips are more suitable in a mixed bed of perennials . Tulips need cold atmospheric condition each winter to bloom properly , so plant them as annuals in fond climate .
Choosing a Site for Planting Tulips
works tulips in an area where they will receive some outpouring sun for good growth and florescence . They ’ll bloom before deciduous trees make leaves , so planting them under trees usually works well . For good effect , plant them in a group planting , massed together in recurrent bed or at the front of borders . cervid passion tulips , so plant them behind a fence if you have cervid , or regard daffodil instead , which cervid usually avoid .
Preparing the Soil for Tulip Planting
tulip ask well - drain soil to originate decent and will rot in expectant , stiff soils . improve your soil with compost or manure to a depth of 12 column inch before plant to amend texture and drainage . Consider using raised beds if your soil is very heavy or wet .
fag a pickle for each tulip 6 to 8 inches deep and add 1 tbsp . superphosphate or lightbulb food to the territory in the bottom of the hole . tulip call for orthophosphate for strong root formation .
Planting Tulips
flora tulip from former free fall to a few weeks before the first icing . Plant them too soon enough that they build up some solution before the first freeze , but not so early that they molder or come out of dormancy . place them in the hole with the pointed nozzle facing up and traverse them lightly with land . place tulip 6 inches apart for an abundant display .
Mulch the ground with 2 to 3 inches of Sir Henry Wood cow chip mulch , which economise moisture and regulate the soil temperature .
Tulip Care
Water the tulips straightaway after planting to encourage early radical formation , and periodically through the winter during dry weather . Water on juiceless , sunny days when the temperature is above 40 arcdegree Fahrenheit .
Fertilize tulip when they first emerge in the springiness with a sprinkle of bulb fertilizer , but do not fecundate them after flowers come out which can reduce blooming and advance rot .
Tulips almost always bloom prolifically the first twelvemonth , but will dwindle in the following class . program to revivify the full bed every five year or so , reckon on growing conditions and the tulip variety .
CC flickr image courtesy of The Glass Beehive
For Further Tulip Reading
Colorado State University – Tulips
University of Illinois – Bulbs : Planting and maintenance
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