A flowerbed with tulips will be colorful and healthy if the gardener chooses the right place to organize it, prepares purchased or his own bulbs and soil for planting, selects the optimal time for planting, and provides high-quality care for the planted flowers and the entire flowerbed.
Few amateur gardeners do not have at least a couple of varieties of tulips in their collection. These flowers are easy to care for and come in a wide variety of shapes and shades, which makes them such a desirable decoration for the flower bed. Every spring, millions of flower beds bloom throughout the country, where these wonderful plants are planted. And although it is believed that there is no more optimal time for planting them than early autumn, experienced gardeners know a few tricks on how to plant tulips in the spring so that they bloom.
Tulips in the garden
One of the most beautiful bulbous plants in our gardens is, of course, tulips. In terms of variety of shapes, sizes and colors, not a single spring flower can compare with them.
Its beauty lies not only in its delicate petals of amazing color, but also in its fairly simple agricultural technology, which involves digging up the bulbs annually in the summer and planting them in open ground in the fall - it is this procedure that ensures abundant, long-term flowering.
Tulips decorate our gardens when the ground is not yet covered with grass, there are no leaves on the trees and the area is bare and inconspicuous in spring. And it is precisely for this brightness and beauty that we love tulips very much - it is rare that a garden can do without these wonderful flowers.
You can find a lot of different information about tulips. One of the most frequently asked questions from those who are just starting to get acquainted with them is whether tulips are planted in the spring and, if so, when this can be done.
When are tulips planted?
Tulips are planted in spring or autumn, but traditionally this is done from late summer to early October - it is at this time that the bulbs dug up after flowering have finally “ripened” in a suitable place for them and can be placed in open ground.
They must get stronger and take root before winter, so planting time for different regions can vary within a month. The bulbs should not grow and throw out shoots, and this will inevitably happen if the warm days last too long. The first frosts will destroy not only the green arrows emerging from the ground, but also the bulbs themselves, which have begun to develop instead of going into hibernation.
However, it is also impossible to be late with planting, since the bulb, which is not ready for frost and has not had time to get stronger and take root, may simply freeze. There are varieties that can withstand even severe frosts well, but it’s still better not to take risks.
However, it is better to be a little late with planting than to do it too early. There are situations when the bulbs arrive from nurseries late, and they are planted even in frozen soil, simply by spilling boiling water on it beforehand. These bulbs are carefully covered, and in the spring they sprout quite well.
Choosing a landing site
The flower bed should be located in a well-lit place. It is desirable that the flower bed is illuminated evenly. Otherwise, the stems will begin to stretch toward the light source and the stems will be too thin.
It is better to choose a site with loamy or sandy loam soil, since heavy soils slow down growth and impair flowering. As a last resort, the soil can be made more loose by adding a little washed river sand or peat. In addition, it is necessary to properly prepare the land for planting, which will be discussed below.
Soil preparation
In the spring, when the snow melts and the soil thaws, they begin to prepare the soil for planting. The earth is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet, since the root system of plants goes deep enough into the ground.
After this, the area is fed with organic fertilizers. Anything will do except fresh manure, which can cause rot or fungal diseases of the roots. Additionally, mineral fertilizers are applied, especially on light soils. This will ensure high germination and consistent flowering.
What to feed plants for fast growth
To enhance crop growth, mineral fertilizers are applied during all periods of the growing season. The first fertilizing is applied soon after planting. To do this, nitrogen-containing preparations are used, which accelerate the formation of stems and leaf growth.
Figure 5. Spring planting technology in the ground
In the future, the crop can be fed with any mineral means. This significantly speeds up the growth of flowers. But, if this is not possible, it is enough to add organic matter at the soil preparation stage and feed the plants with mineral fertilizers after planting. At home, these activities are enough to grow lush bushes.
Is it possible to plant tulips in spring?
Very often, tulips that are brought for sale on Women's Day have bulbs. Usually you can get them at any flower shop either for free, since they are cut anyway before making bouquets, or for nominal money.
This is used by lovers who do not have the opportunity to purchase expensive varieties in nurseries - in flower shops during the season you can buy bulbs of amazing varietal tulips at a bargain price, and this will not hurt your pocket at all. The question is what to do with these bulbs then.
The fact is that after flowering, tulips growing in the garden are not cut off - they must wither naturally; it is during this period that nutritious juices from the stem and leaves enter the bulb. If the underground part of the plant is deprived of this opportunity, the bulb will not die, but there is a possibility that the tulip simply will not bloom next year.
If it turns out that you purchased tulip bulbs in the spring, you have two options - store them in a cool place until August or plant them in open ground in April. If you purchase high-quality varietal bulbs that arrived in the spring, you can safely leave them until the fall, providing them with suitable conditions.
However, it is useless to store bulbs that have not received nutrition from the leaves of a fading tulip; it will not be of much use. Most likely, they will simply dry out - especially for young, weak bulbs that have not yet gained vitality. It is better to plant such tulips in the spring.
Processing tulip bulbs before planting
There is an unspoken rule among gardeners that purchased bulbs must be pickled.
Because we cannot know whether everything is exactly right with them, even if they are visually healthy.
You never know what bacteria and fungi may be on them. Therefore, in order not to introduce any blight into your garden, treat the planting material with Maxim or Fitosporin according to the instructions.
Maxim is a stronger drug, it is suitable if you notice some small mold or suspicious spots.
Fitosporin is weaker, for healthy bulbs, it will protect them from rot and fungi.
You can also etch in a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
If you have your own bulbs, then you decide for yourself whether they need to be treated. It’s better, of course, not to be lazy and do it just in case.
When to plant tulips in spring?
When to plant tulips in spring? The question of what temperature tulips are planted at is very easy to answer. Tulip bulbs can be planted in the ground as soon as the frosts have passed and the ground has warmed up a little.
At a soil temperature of plus five to plus seven, the bulbs will feel great. In this case, the air temperature should be approximately 10 degrees Celsius during the day, and at night should not fall below zero. This usually happens closer to mid-April (on average), although for different regions the dates, of course, can shift in both directions.
How to plant bulbs in spring in open ground
Spring planting of bulbs is no different from autumn and is carried out according to the same rules:
- a suitable place is being prepared, which should be protected from the wind, not located in a lowland and well lit by the sun;
- the soil is carefully dug up, compost, old manure or other organic matter is added to it;
- The area for tulips must be well watered with warm water and left for several days;
- carefully loosen the ground and make holes for the bulbs;
- planting material is placed there and covered with soil;
- The top is well watered and mulched with organic matter so that the soil does not dry out.
There is no need to cover the bulbs with anything; spring planting does not imply this. There are no difficulties in this; this procedure differs from planting bulbs in the fall only in the time of year and the absence of the need to insulate the beds.
Features of spring planting
Some novice flower growers claim that tulips planted in the spring do not bloom the first year. This is not entirely true. They bloom, but only in the presence of a “ripe” flower bud. The main condition for “ripening” is cold. In the natural environment, this is winter.
It is possible to provide the flower with similar conditions in an artificial environment by also immersing it in the cold. The ideal place is the bottom drawer of the refrigerator, where the planting material will be stored for 4-5 months. To create the most comfortable conditions for wintering in the refrigerator, the bulbs should be wrapped in paper.
If the plant does not go through the stratification period, the flower bud will not “feel” that it is time to “wake up”. There will be no flowering.
At what depth to plant tulips in spring?
The answer to this question depends solely on the size of the tulip bulbs. The larger the bulb, the deeper it can be placed in the ground.
Large bulbs are planted at a depth of three times its size, and small ones - two times. That is, if your bulb reaches a size of 7 cm, then the hole for it needs to be made at least 20 cm deep.
And small “babies” 2-3 cm long are planted in shallow five-centimeter holes - then there is a chance that they will grow. If you plant them deeper, you may not get sprouts.
Features of planting care
Like any garden crop, tulips after planting, especially during the period of budding and flowering, require systematic care, consisting of a standard set of agrotechnical procedures, plus, during the period of intensive growth, special attention should be paid to culling diseased or undeveloped plants.
Watering
The amount of watering is determined by weather conditions and soil conditions. Tulips need moisture, especially during the flowering period and a month after it, during the active formation of daughter bulbs. Watering tulips is carried out only at the root, so that water does not get on the stem and leaves.
Loosening
The soil between the holes must be carefully loosened to a depth of 3-4 cm. It is advisable to carry out the procedure after each watering or rain. It is best to pull out the weeds around the stem by hand, collect them in a heap and immediately remove them from the flowerbed.
Top dressing
The first feeding is carried out immediately after the sprouts appear with a weakly concentrated solution of organic matter, wood ash or peat. You can add a mineral complex for flowering plants. To form stems, fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are applied under the roots. A month after planting, tulips can be fed with ammonium nitrate.
Mulching
During the growing season, tulips are rarely mulched. Basically, this procedure is carried out in the fall for bulbs left in the ground for the winter. They are covered with a thick layer of foliage or any mulching material.
When do tulips planted in the ground bloom in spring?
It is difficult to say when tulips planted in spring will bloom, since this circumstance depends solely on the condition of the planting material. If you purchased mature, strong bulbs full of nutrients, then buds may appear even this year, although this is the exception rather than the rule.
Usually after a month and a half, that is, towards the end of May, leaves appear and grow quite quickly, but the bulb does not throw out a stem - it does not have enough strength.
Such tulips need to be carefully removed from the ground after the above-ground part of the plant has withered, washed, dried thoroughly in the shade and stored in a suitable room. The bulbs will remain there until August, after which they will need to be planted in open ground according to the rules described higher. It is advisable to insulate the bed with bulbs for the winter to be sure of a successful winter.
Next season, your tulips will already be blooming, and proper agricultural technology will make this flowering long, bright and abundant.
If you purchased weak bulbs and there are not enough nutrients in them (for example, cut from flower stems on March 8), it is better to plant them separately in the spring - such bulbs will come to life throughout the season and “ripen” directly in the ground.
It may well be that even leaves will not appear this season - don’t worry, the plants are just gaining strength for now. Be sure to water the area with planting material, add organic and mineral fertilizers to it, this will help the bulbs recover faster.
There is no need to dig up such bulbs; let them be in the ground and take root, gradually developing. Be sure to insulate the area for the winter, otherwise they may die from frost. And in the spring, rake off the mulch and continue to care for the plants - water and fertilize.
The leaves will definitely appear next year, but most of the tulips will already bloom. Then you will act according to the rules - after waiting for the end of flowering, feed the bulbs, and at the end of July, after the stems and leaves have dried, dig them up in order to plant them in open ground in the fall according to all the rules.
Preparing your bulbs
If you use bulbs obtained from your own flower garden as seed material, they should also be subjected to pre-planting preparation. Before planting tulips in the spring, they must be subjected to the following procedures:
- Bulbs dug out of the flowerbed should be cleared of the tough outer skin and the exposed bulb should be inspected for defects and diseases. In addition, a “naked” bulb is able to more efficiently receive nutrients from the soil.
- Next, the planting material is degreased and disinfected. To do this, you can use the already mentioned solution of potassium permanganate or a special preparation. An alternative to chemistry is a celandine solution, in which the bulbs should be kept for about half an hour. This will help destroy fungi and bacteria that can harm the bulbs.
- When planting bulbs in pots, it is recommended to use only clean substrate, since soil taken simply from a flower bed may contain putrefactive bacteria. By the way, it is also recommended to completely replace the top layer of soil in the flowerbed itself for the same reasons.
