Planting tulips is a must-do on my fall backyard duties. To have stunning spring color, you must put within the work months prematurely. Right here’s how to determine what sort of perennial tulips to plant and when to plant them based mostly on the place you reside.
Each fall, I give my future self somewhat present. Vancouver skies are cloudy and wet nearly all winter lengthy. By late February and early March, we start to see hints of spring, which fully revitalizes my spirit.
One of many heralds of spring are tulips and different spring flowering bulbs. After we’ve been residing in such an absence of color, confined inside for the previous few months, color can immediately deliver much-needed out of doors serotonin and dopamine.
What’s even higher than planting tulips is planting perennial tulips. These are tulips that haven’t misplaced the flexibility to return 12 months after 12 months, supplying you with a gentle rainbow of color with minimal work.
So, assume into the longer term and provides your self some pleasure by planting perennial tulips within the fall. Right here’s what it’s essential to know.
This put up will cowl…
Selecting Perennial Bulbs
Whereas technically, all tulips ought to be perennials, that received’t at all times be the case. After years of breeding and hybridizing tulips for giant blooms and durable stems, they’ve misplaced their perennial trait. For this reason most individuals deal with tulips as annuals and be pleasantly shocked in the event that they return the next 12 months.
However! You may purposefully develop tulips as perennials—you simply have to make sure you’re shopping for the suitable bulbs.
When purchasing for bulbs, search for phrases like perennializing and naturalizing tulips. Additionally, take note of the bloom occasions (early, mid, late) and attempt to choose just a few varieties to have an prolonged season of tulip blooms.
There are a lot of several types of tulips (which you’ll be able to be taught extra about on this post), however listed below are among the finest perennial tulips:
- Darwin Hybrid
- Greigii
- Kafmanniana
- Fosteriana
- Species/botanical (these are smaller and extra intently resemble the unique wild tulip)
It’s necessary to notice that tulips are solely perennials of their supreme circumstances. Sometimes finest in zones 3-8, they want chilly winters, spring moisture, a sunny location, and good drainage. Tulips are native to Central Asia, so their supreme circumstances might not match in every single place.
Naturalizing Tulips
Naturalizing tulips takes it one step additional than perennials. Whereas some tulips will return for a number of years, tulips which have naturalized won’t solely repeatedly return but additionally multiply.
One of the best tulips for naturalizing are Species, Fosteriana, and Kaumanniana. For extra tips about naturalizing bulbs, try this put up.
When to Plant Perennial Tulip Bulbs
Like most gardening recommendation, when to plant tulip bulbs depends upon the place you reside. For these with very harsh winters, you’re wanting as early as mid-September, and for these with hotter climates, as late as mid-December. For many, October to November is finest.
For me, in zone 7-8, the perfect time is early October. Don’t get too hung up on a date, however know that you just need to get them within the floor earlier than the primary frost. They should be within the floor earlier than it freezes for the primary time to determine themselves beforehand. The best temperature for planting tulips is 9⁰C/50⁰F.
Tulips have to undergo a chilly interval, so in the event you don’t get them within the floor earlier than it freezes, then it might be finest to develop them in containers as a substitute.
Attempt to plant your tulips comparatively quickly after you purchase them. If it’s essential to retailer them, hold them someplace cool and dry. However the longer you retailer them, the extra seemingly they’re to dry out whereas ready so that you can plant them.
Plant Perennial Tulips
Tulips like free, wealthy soil with good drainage. They will develop in solar and shade, however full solar offers you one of the best odds of tulips perennializing. However I at all times prefer to remind those that within the spring, the backyard will get much more sunshine than you assume as a result of the deciduous timber are sometimes nonetheless naked when the tulips start to come back out.
Plant the tulips with the roots dealing with down and the sharp half up. I prefer to put them in groupings of wierd numbers, like 5 or 9, for a extra pure show. However guarantee they’re nonetheless spaced out sufficient from one another to have sufficient room to develop.
To hurry issues up, I like to make use of a energy planter. That is particularly useful in the event you’re planting numerous bulbs for naturalizing. It actually saves your wrist and lessens the time.
After planting the tulips, water them. It will stimulate root progress and assist them develop higher. They should set up themselves within the floor earlier than the soil freezes.
Mark the place you could have planted the tulips and add a layer of mulch, corresponding to leaves or pine needles, to guard the tulips throughout the winter.
How Deep to Plant Perennial Bulbs
Typically, the advice is to plant bulbs 2-3 occasions the bulb’s top. Personally, I feel it’s finest to plant them even deeper, particularly in colder climates.
First, take a look at the planting directions after which at all times plant on the deeper facet if they offer a variety. In the event that they don’t give any indication, goal for thrice the bulb’s top or barely deeper in the event you reside in a chilly local weather. Protecting with mulch after planting may assist.
As soon as once more, the energy planter helps you simply get deep sufficient.
Perennial Tulips Care
As soon as planted, you don’t must do a lot together with your bulb however look forward to the pop of spring color to reach.
You may deadhead the flowers or reduce them and produce them inside, however I like to recommend letting them keep on to extend the chance of them returning as a perennial.
No matter you do, depart behind the foliage—that’s important for the plant to recharge the bulb so it could return the next 12 months.
One other factor I love to do is take reference photographs. This fashion, you may bear in mind the place you planted the bulbs in case you need to add extra later, in addition to different vegetation.
Widespread Perennial Tulip Pests
The largest drawback you’ll encounter with perennial tulips is squirrels. I had many squirrels feast on the bulbs I naturalized final 12 months, however I planted sufficient that I didn’t thoughts sharing a few of them. You may see them within the video under!
Nevertheless, if you wish to cease squirrels and different rodents, you may cowl the realm after planting with a layer of rooster wire or {hardware} fabric. Then, safe the wire to the bottom with panorama pins or massive rocks. You may prime it off with mulch if you wish to conceal the looks for the winter.
It will forestall the rodents from digging out the bulbs. Do not forget that you could take away the overlaying earlier than the bulb pops up within the spring.
In the event you’re coping with voles or groundhogs, you may add gravel to the underside of your gap when planting. Add soil and the bulb, guaranteeing the soil surrounds the bulb. Then, add one other protecting layer of gravel.
Deer may also be an issue. My greatest suggestion is to combine the tulips with daffodils since they received’t eat them and plant them nearer to the home, the place the deer might really feel much less inclined to go.
Steadily Requested Questions About Planting Tulips
Solely perennial tulips like Darwin Hybrid, Species, Greigii, Fosteriana, and Kafmanniana will return. These tulips are thought-about perennial bulbs in zones 3-8. They want chilly to flower, so hotter climates might not see the return of tulips they bought as begins in pots.
Be certain that to go away the leaves of the bulb intact. These leaves energize the bulb and guarantee it recharges to bloom once more the next 12 months.
Tulips ought to be planted about 2-3 occasions the peak of their bulb and even deeper in colder climates. Some varieties might differ in how deep they need to be planted, so comply with the directions on the pack, at all times leaning in the direction of the deepest quantity recommended.
In the event you plant tulips within the spring, chances are you’ll get flowers, however chances are you’ll not. The sooner within the spring, the higher. We plant them within the fall so that they have time to determine roots earlier than getting the chilly they should bloom.
So with out that head begin forming a root system, the tulips planted within the spring might not find yourself blooming or have much less spectacular flowers.
In the event you missed your likelihood within the fall to plant tulips, you may attempt to plant them as quickly as the bottom is workable. Or, you may strive forcing the bulbs indoors as a substitute.
I’d recommend that you just purchase potted tulips from the backyard centre as a substitute. Go away them within the pot to get pleasure from whereas they bloom, after which as soon as the leaves begin to yellow, transfer them into the bottom. They could return the next 12 months!
Extra Ideas for Rising Flower Bulbs
