There are few sights as beautiful as tulips in springtime. Fortunately, you don’t need to be gifted with green fingers to be able to create your own stunning display. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll soon be reaping the rewards of these fabulous blooms.
1. TULIPS: WHEN TO PLANT?
We like to say that when you need to wear a coat during the day, it’s time to plant your flower bulbs. However, with the unpredictable weather in the UK that could be any time really, so to take a more scientific approach, just make sure your soil temperature is 60 degrees F (c.15.5 degrees C) or below - generally October to November, before the hard frost sets in.
2. GROWING TULIPS: HOW TO STORE?
Our tulip bulbs can be stored safely for a long period of time so don’t worry if you are not quite ready to plant when you receive them, just ensure planting takes place before the ground freezes. Another important factor to bear in mind is – bulbs, like us, need to breathe! So, as soon as you receive your flower bulbs, unpack them and then store them in a dry, well ventilated place, ideally at a temperature of around 40-70 degrees F (4.5-21 degrees C) .
3. GROWING TULIPS: HOW TO PLANT?
Tulips like sunny spots with not too much shade. Tulip bulbs do not like wet or waterlogged soil, so make sure your soil has good drainage.
The general rule when planting tulips is to plant at twice the depth of the bulb. So, prepare a hole three times the depth - around 15cm, drop the bulb in pointy side up, then cover with soil. Keep a space of 12-15cm between each bulb. If growing in pots or containers you can plant them in clusters, closer together, which will result in gloriously showy container displays.
Once planted, give your bulbs a good watering to allow the soil to settle. Then wait for nature to reward you!
4. GROWING TULIPS: HOW TO TAKE CARE IN SPRING?
As mentioned before, tulips don’t take kindly to too much water, so once you see green leaves and buds emerging from the soil, only water them when there’s been no rain for a period of 3-5 days. This applies to the whole growing season – generally, rainfall is more than enough water for tulips.
5. GROWING TULIPS: HOW TO TAKE CARE AFTER BLOOMING?
Once your tulips have bloomed, deadhead them but don’t remove the leaves. Tulips need their foliage to gather nutrients which are then stored in the bulb. Once the leaves turn yellow / purple and die back, you can then prune them off. At this point stop watering though, so that the bulbs can rest. It’s important to note that most tulips are annuals and not perennials. There is a big chance that they will come back for a year, but it all depends on the growing conditions.
