Tips and Tricks to Grow Tulips in your home garden

Grow-Tulips-in-your-home-garden

The tulip is a bright and beautiful flower which can truly lend a cheerful air to your garden. Holland is famed for its tulip cultivation, and the lovely flowers have made the country famous. However, this flower is not seen often in the home gardens. It is actually easy to grow dutch tulips, and the amazing variety of colors can make your garden pleasant and outstanding.

 Guide to grow tulips in your home garden 

1. Choosing/buying the bulbs

buying the bulbsWhen you choose the tulip bulbs, make sure that they are not soft or moldy or flabby. The paper-thin cover should be intact on the bulb. The best time to buy the bulbs is late August or September, but they are planted in mid-autumn, if you live in mild winter conditions. Tulips grow fast so if you live in freezing conditions, its best to store them in paper bags for the

winter. If you store in plastic, they may start growing inside the bags!

There are small species of tulips, as well as large ones which look great in formal gardens, in beds as well as borders. Choose from the single, double flowers, or simple cups, bowl and goblet shapes, continuing to complex forms. The height also ranges from 6 inches up to 2 feet.

2. Planting the tulips

Tulips are planted in autumn before ground freezes. Different varieties of tulips bloom at different times of the year, so you can have tulips in your garden for the most part of the year, from early spring to late spring. Some varieties can be grown indoors, too, or in your balconies. 

3. How to select the planting site

planting siteTulips flourish in a site which has ample sun, such as afternoon sun. If you live in a hot zone, then plant your tulips in an area where it can receive the morning sun. The soil has to be fertile, sandy, dry and neutral to slightly acidic. It should not have excessive moisture. There should be a gap of 4-6 inches between two bulbs. Tall varieties need protection from the strong winds.

Plant before ground freezes in extremely cold regions, but planting too early also might lead to diseases.

In warmer climates, you can plant in December-January or later, as tulips emerge from the ground in March.

To know about the best dates to plant your beautiful tulips, you should consult bulb planting charts which you can find online. If you miss the optimal time to plant, you can still go ahead and plant and there is a good chance you will be rewarded with beautiful blooms. 

4. Way to plant your tulips

First loosen the garden soil to about 12-15 inches and mix 2-4 inches of compost. Plant the bulbs deep, 8 inches deep at least, when you measure from the bulb’s base. You have to take into account the drainage of the soil too, as you will be planting the bulbs quite deep in the soil.

The bulbs have to be planted with the pointed side upwards, covered with soil and press the soil firmly. You have to water them immediately. In the planting holes, put some thorny leaves, or kitty litter or gravel to deter rodents and voles. You might even need to bury the tulip bulbs in wire cages to protect from pests. On top, add a layer of mulch for added protection.

With your loving attention, your tulips will definitely flourish and you will have a charming and glorious garden.

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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