How to Grow Tulips from Bulbs

Tulip bulbs can be obtained via mail order suppliers or local garden centers. If purchasing bulbs from a garden center, choose those that are firm to the touch and free of mould, bruises, or cuts. Avoid bulbs that feel squishy or are missing their papery brown shell. The best bulbs will be free of blemishes, larger than average, and heavy for their size.

Some tulip varieties tend to bloom early in the spring, whereas others bloom later. Choosing several types allows for staggering of blooming times to have tulips flowering for the entire season.

For those who live in warmer places where winters are mild, it may be more difficult to grow tulips. The likelihood of success can be increased by choosing smaller tulip varieties that are more tolerant of warm climates, such as:

• Candia Tulip
• Florentine
• Lady or Candy Tulip

How to Store Tulip Bulbs

If you purchase tulip bulbs some time before you will plant them, store the bulbs in a paper bag and keep them away from ripening fruits, which give off ethylene gas that can destroy flower buds within the tulip bulbs.

The refrigerator crisper is a good place for storing tulip bulbs as long as there is no fruit nearby. If this is not an option, store the bulbs somewhere dark, cool, and dry – moisture can cause bulbs to rot.

When to Plant Tulip Bulbs

The ideal time for planting tulip bulbs varies by Climate Hardiness Zone (see the Climate Hardiness Zone Maps for North America or Europe to find your zone).

For most zones, bulbs should be planted in September or early October. However, for warmer zones, the following exceptions apply:

• Zones 6 and 7 – plant in October or early November
• Zones 8 and 9 – plant in November or early December and refrigerate bulbs for at least 6-8 weeks beforehand
• Zone 10 – plant in late December or early January and refrigerate bulbs for at least 8-10 weeks beforehand

Soil should be below 60 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of planting.

Where to Plant Tulip Bulbs

Tulips do best if they receive at least 6 hours of sun each day, preferably morning or afternoon rather than evening. Choose a spot that will receive sufficient sunlight, and where the soil is well drained, sandy, and neutral or slightly acid. Soil should be enriched with humus and compost. Don’t plant in areas where water collects.

How to Plant Tulip Bulbs

Plant small tulip varieties 4-5 inches deep and 3-4 inches apart. Bulbs for large varieties should be placed 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches apart.

Place bulbs in holes pointy-side up with the roots facing downward. Be sure to plant all bulbs in a tulip bed at the same depth or they may not bloom simultaneously, and add a granular, low-nitrogen fertilizer specifically formulated for bulbs.

Water thoroughly right after planting and then again when the first leaves make their appearance.

How to Encourage Tulips to Perennialize

There are a number of things that gardeners can do to encourage their tulips to perennialize:

• Choose species that are more amenable to perennialization, such as Darwin hybrids, Emperors, and Triumphs.
• Deadhead blooms when they’ve passed their prime, but don’t remove foliage until it has yellowed.
• Spread a slow-release organic fertilizer designed for bulbs over the soil after tulips have flowered but before their foliage has gone.

If only foliage appears the following year, discard the bulbs. They are unlikely to bloom well again.

How to Protect Tulips from Rodents

Lots of animals love the taste of tulips, and squirrels and other rodents often decimate tulip beds. Planting tulips in wire mesh baskets or lining the tulip bed with wire mesh can prevent rodents from eating the bulbs. Adding a handful of sharp gravel in the hole when planting bulbs can also help to discourage gophers and voles.

Deer also love the taste of tulips, so it’s a good idea not to plant a tulip bed anywhere that deer may graze.

Further Reading

For more gardening information, see:

• How to Force Tulips to Bloom Indoors During Winter
• How to Fix Common Tulip Problems
• Natural Garden Pest Control

References:

• ‚”Caring for Tulips.” (n.d.). Gardening.Yardener.com.
• Nardozzi, Charlie, National Gardening Association. (2009). ‚”Five Steps to Bulb Planting Success.” Garden.org.
• Patel, Shila, National Gardening Association. (2009). ‚”Houseplants – Forced Bulbs.” Garden.org.
• ‚”Planting Tulips.” (2009). GardeningwithKids.org.
• Veseys. (n.d.). ‚”Tulips.” Veseys.com.
• Viette, André; Viette, Mark; & Hériteau, Jacqueline. (2003). Mid-Atlantic Gardener’s Guide. Franklin, TN: Cool Springs Press.