How to Care for Tulips
Tulips, while customarily associated with the Netherlands, were first cultivated in Asia. They were mass imported to Europe in the 1600s, where they caused a craze, with some bulbs commanding thousands of dollars. Since then, their worth has become purely aesthetic and they are planted for their beauty, symmetry and wide variety of colors. They look best planted in groups, rather than as individual accents. As long as care is given to their planting, they require little other care to ensure full blooming. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose an area for your tulips that is well-drained and receives sun or partial shade. The best location would be one where the tulips don't receive full sunlight in the middle of the day.
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Dig holes for your bulbs in autumn, before the first frost. Plant small bulbs--one-inch in size--in holes about five inches deep; space them a few inches apart. Plant larger bulbs--two inches in size or more--eight inches deep and four to eight inches apart.
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Place a bulb inside each hole with the pointed side facing upwards. Fill the hole with soil half way and water the bulb thoroughly. Add the remaining soil to fill the hole completely.
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Pack two to three inches of mulch loosely over the bed and water a second time.
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Water the area as needed if the weather is dry during the fall.
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Fertilize the area in the spring after the tulips have sprouted using a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Ensure the tulips receive sun and moderate watering.
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Remove the flower organs with a scissors after the petals fade or fall off. Allow the foliage to die back naturally.
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Tips & Warnings
If the tulips have flowered well, they can be left in place for blooming the following year. If you must move the bulbs for any reason, wait until all the foliage has browned and died.
Choose firm bulbs. Avoid any that have rot on the basal plate.
References
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