What Is the Planting Season for Tulip Bulbs?
Enjoy tulips for a longer growing season by mixing bulbs and remembering to plant them when the soil is cool enough--below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You also will yield a variety of colors. Once planted, some tulips will bloom each year--but not necessarily in the South with its warmer temperatures. Does this Spark an idea?
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Definition
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A true bulb consists of a basal plate, short thick stem and fleshy scales, containing all of the plant parts--leaves, flowers, and stems, according to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. The bulb itself is a storage organ.
Right Temperature
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Wait until the soil temperature is below 60 degrees. Depending on where you live in the United States, that time could vary from September through early January.
Even cooler temperatures of below 50 degrees are needed for 12 to 16 weeks for the bulbs to stretch and elongate. This natural chilling outdoors--or forced chilling in the refrigerator--causes bulbs to grow taller. Stubby growth often is a problem when a bag of bulbs is found in the spring that someone forgot to plant.
Differing temperatures affect tulip's bloom period, and they often don't bloom again well in the South. With the widest range of flower colors and types, some tulips will come back better than others.
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Precautions
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Add a scoop of sharp gravel to discourage small animals from visiting the planting hole, according to the National Gardening Association. Another idea is to plant bulbs in wire or fabric baskets. Avoid mulching where rodents are evident. Otherwise, squirrels may take off with your decorative bulbs.
Setting Bulbs
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Place bulbs with their roots or basal plate downward in a planting bed or in separate planting holes. Plant the bulb on its side if you do not know which part of the bulb is the bottom.
Remember to plant your bulbs deep--below the mulch--to discourage squirrels from digging them up. A good rule to follow is plant the bulb two to three times as deep as the bulb is large, according to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Also plant them close together for a better display. You also may want to mix bulbs for variety in color and blooming times.
Try Variety
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Layer two species in the same bed for colorful combinations. For instance, if you want to grow tulips with grape hyacinths, plant tulips first, adding enough soil to plant the grape hyacinths between the tulips.
To precede your tulips and daffodils, include bulbs such as crocuses, snowdrops and scilla for early blooming. Alliums will bloom later into early summer.
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References
- Photo Credit pink unopened tulip bulb image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
