How to Plant Tulips in the Spring

Tulips bloom in the spring.

Tulips are spring-blooming flowers that grow from bulbs that should be planted in the fall. If you plant the bulbs in the spring, they will not bloom until the following spring. But if you want instantly blooming spring tulips, the best way is to plant potted tulips that have already begun to grow.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Potted tulips Shovel Bulb food Watering tools

How to Plant Tulips in the Spring

1. Prepare the soil by mixing in plant food formulated for spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils.

2. Dig a hole in the dirt that is roughly the same size as your pot.

3. Remove tulips from the pot and place them in the hole. Try to get as much dirt from the pot into the hole as possible. The less the tulips are disturbed, the healthier they will remain.

4. Press down the dirt around the flower so it is supported, then water thoroughly. Water when the soil dries out, but do not let standing water develop, as this can lead to bulb rot.

5. Let the leaves and stem of the plant yellow and wither before attempting to move or dig up the tulip bulbs. This allows the bulbs to absorb the nutrients they need to bloom next year.

Tips & Warnings

• You can plant the bulbs from potted tulips. After they have died completely, pull out the foliage and let the pot dry out. If it's spring, remove the bulbs from the pot and plant them. If it's summer, keep them in the soil in the pot until you can plant them in the fall. When you purchase your potted tulips, choose a pot that has the smallest, shortest tulips. This will give them more time to grow and bloom in your garden.

• If the bulbs are shriveled, soggy or falling apart, then they are probably spent and should not be planted. Many types of tulip bulbs only last two to three years.

References

• Fact sheet on tulips

Resources

• Tips for caring for tulips