IS IT TOO LATE TO PLANT TULIPS?

In the event you’ve been busy over the Autumn time and haven’t managed to do as a lot gardening as you had hoped, you could be questioning whether it is too late to plant tulip bulbs? Effectively, haven’t any concern, you aren’t too late! In reality, by ready a little bit longer you’ll have really helped them out and given them higher odds of flowering with out a hitch!

WHERE DO TULIPS COME FROM?

I all the time thought tulips got here from Amsterdam as that’s the place I consider right away after I consider tulips. However no, they don’t!

In reality, tulips have been imported to Holland from the Ottoman Empire again within the sixteenth century. They rapidly grow to be probably the most wanted commodities and have been grown in abundance ever since! In WW2, tulips bulbs have been usually eaten in Holland as a result of lack of meals. Apparently they’ve a milky, candy flavour that’s not dangerous, although I’ve by no means tried it myself!

Tulips (or a minimum of 120 several types of them) originate from Central Asia and have been first cultivated in Turkey! So they’re used to highly regarded summer season and really chilly winters, which is vital to know with the intention to perceive easy methods to develop the efficiently within the UK.

WHEN TO PLANT TULIP BULBS?

Tulips must be planted between September-February within the UK, however the later they’re planted the higher. I’ve planted tulips as late as mid February and had flowers that 12 months.

A very powerful factor to pay attention to when planting tulips, is that they have to be put into colder soil. So if we now have a late summer season and it’s nonetheless pretty heat in October, this received’t be a good time to plant them. You ideally need to plant them after the primary frost.

Planting them later within the autumn, after a frost, also can assist to stop fungal infections from creating. The chilly kills off the fungus earlier than it has an opportunity to develop!

WHERE TO PLANT TULIPS

Tulips want effectively draining soil and solar to develop correctly. They need to be saved watered as they hate drying out. However don’t plant them someplace too boggy as they will additionally rot fairly simply.

I all the time discover tulips look nice planted in little clumps round ponds or inside backyard borders because it simply feels extra pure.

HOW TO PLANT TULIP BULBS

Select a sunny, effectively draining space to plant your tulip bulbs and ideally, plant them after the primary frost.

Begin by putting the bulbs on prime of the soil so you’ll be able to actually plan your show. They may wants about 12-15cm between every bulb.

If you would like the pure look, strive throwing the bulbs onto the bottom gently and simply plant them the place they fall!

Bulbs have to be planted a minimum of 3 occasions the depth of the bulb. Cowl with soil and water effectively.

DO YOU DIG UP YOUR TULIP BULBS EVERY YEAR?

There’s probably not any have to dig up your tulip bulbs 12 months after 12 months? I have a tendency to go away them within the floor, except they Catch a illness or cease producing so many flowers.

In the event you develop your bulbs in pots, you’ll be able to pull your entire lot out and put into a less expensive, plastic pot to retailer till subsequent Autumn time. That method you get your favorite pots again and might develop new flowers over the summer season!

PROTECTING YOUR TULIPS

Squirrels simply love to return alongside and dig up all of your tulips bulbs, so it’s a good suggestion to put some netting or hen wire over your newly planted bulbs, simply till they get rising.

Caterpillars, slugs and snails all like to eat the leaves of tulips vegetation, so use barrier safety towards these critters. Verify contained in the flowers for sneaky snails too, I all the time discover heaps hiding in mine!

TULIP FIRE

I’ve misplaced a complete mattress of tulips to the dreaded tulip fireplace! It’s a devastating illness brought on by the Botrytis tulipae fungus which ravages your tulips leaving them discoloured and wilting.

It normally happens when tulips are overcrowded, are over watered or have excessive humidity round them. In the event you discover any signal of it in your tulips, take away the contaminated vegetation and bulbs instantly.

It’s prone to unfold although, so hold your eye on them and take away when you see any additional signal of it.

You possibly can attempt to forestall the probability of tulip fireplace by guaranteeing you plant your bulbs in a effectively draining, sunny spot and depart a good way between every bulb to stop overcrowding!