When to plant tulips in autumn and spring: rules

The article describes in detail when to plant tulips in autumn and spring: rules, planting instructions.

Tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths usually bloom first and, as it were, confirm with their flowering the final onset of spring. Of all these flowers, it is tulips that are distinguished by the greatest variety of varieties and the richest palette of shades, so choosing these flowers for your garden, you certainly will not be disappointed. But it is not enough to get the best quality planting material, it is also extremely important to choose a site, prepare the soil and plant the bulbs at the correct depth. These conditions determine the future flowering of your plants. And one of the most important points is choosing the optimal time for planting.

When to plant tulips: choosing the right time

When to plant tulips: choosing the right time

It is very important to choose the right time for planting bulbous plants, since the planting timing completely determines the future fate of the plants. Tulips are usually planted in the fall or spring. Many people prefer autumn planting, since the bulbs that overwintered in the soil are better preserved, less susceptible to disease (all this is subject to the rules of planting and soil preparation). Such bulbs bloom the next year and bloom for a long time and profusely. When planting in the spring, the probability of seeing flowers in the same year is low, since the bulbs will take time to root and adapt, and therefore may not have the strength to form a bud before the onset of hot weather. That is, tulips planted in spring are likely to bloom too in a year.

When to plant tulips: the rules and benefits of autumn planting

When to plant tulips: the rules and benefits of autumn planting

The time of planting tulips in autumn is determined solely by the local climate and weather conditions. Your task is to plant the bulbs so that they have time to take root before frost (and it usually takes about 25 days for rooting), but at the same time they did not begin to grow actively and the sprout did not appear on the soil surface. If the bulbs do not have time to take root, they will most likely die, rot from excess water in late autumn, or freeze in the winter months. If you planted tulips too early and in warm autumn they began to grow, then they will probably be damaged by the onset of frost, the bulbs may not die, but there will be no flowering in spring, tulips will only release leaves.

In the northern regions of our country, planting is usually carried out in the first half of September, and in a temperate climate, this can be done in the second half of October, and in the case of a warm autumn, bulbs can also be planted in November. As you can see, first of all, you need to focus on the climatic statistics of your area and the weather forecast for the near future.

So, you have chosen the time, prepared the planting material, now you need to choose a place. The flowerbed on which tulips will grow should be in a sunny, draft-free place, ideally on a small elevation, since all bulbous plants do not tolerate stagnant moisture. In partial shade, tulips bloom reluctantly, the flowers are small, and completely in the shade they stop blooming altogether.

Take care to prepare the soil, the soil should be loose and breathable.If the soil has a high clay content, then when digging, add peat and sand, dig it up again so that everything is well mixed. Before planting, you can add a small amount of rotted compost, it will provide the rooting bulbs with the necessary nutrition. You can also add a little phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers, but a very small amount; in the autumn, tulips do not need abundant feeding. And never bring fresh organic matter (manure, bird droppings) under the bulbous plants, since in this case you will harm the plants more than you will help.

It is very important to correctly determine the depth of planting of the bulb, since its safety and flowering next year also depends on this. If you do not deepen it enough, then the bulbs can freeze, at best they will not bloom in spring, and at worst they will die. If, on the contrary, you plant them too deep, then in the spring the plant will need too much strength to get to the soil surface, which means that flowering may not happen again.

The optimum planting depth is 3 bulb heights, usually no more than 15 cm. Spill the holes with water before planting. Re-watering will be required in 10-14 days, but only if the autumn is dry. If the weather is moderately rainy, then you do not need to specially water the tulips.

Covering tulips for the winter is not necessary as long as you plant them at the correct depth. But since this is not difficult to do, so as not to worry about the frost resistance of the bulbs, you can mulch the soil. To do this, use dry foliage, hay, branches, needles - all of these materials provide sufficient shelter, but at the same time do not block the access of air to the soil. It is categorically not recommended to use a plastic film for shelter, since it will just block the air access and in the spring the bulbs can begin to rot.

When to plant tulips outdoors: the rules and benefits of spring planting

When to plant tulips outdoors: the rules and benefits of spring planting

In fact, it is worth planting tulips in spring only in one case - if for some reason you did not manage to do this in autumn. Flowers planted in spring may not bloom in the first year or bloom late, the buds will be small and possibly deformed. This is because all plants need a certain air temperature for harmonious development, tulips prefer spring, summer for them is too hot and not suitable for flowering time.

But if you still plan a spring planting, then do it as early as possible, this leaves a chance for proper development. Usually the right time comes from mid-March, sometimes a little later - in early April.
How to choose and prepare a place for planting, how much to deepen the bulbs - we have already discussed all this, nothing changes with spring planting. But more fertilizers will definitely be needed (at first, flowers prefer nitrogen, and during the flowering period, you can increase the proportion of potassium and phosphorus), fertilizer should always be applied simultaneously with watering. The frequency of watering, in contrast to the autumn planting, also needs to be increased.

Inspect the bulbs carefully before planting, as not all of them tolerate storage well. Discard too dry, as well as specimens with obvious signs of disease (traces of mold, rot, soft bottom). As a preventive measure, keep healthy and strong bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate or treat with specialized antifungal compounds.

Do not forget that in the spring, not only cultivated plants, but also weeds begin to actively grow, so weed the flower bed in a timely manner so that the tulips are comfortable.

What time can tulips be planted in containers

When I speak of containers, I do not mean flower pots or boxes, we are talking about a container with holes, which will also be in your flower bed.But this method of planting is much more convenient than usual for several reasons. Firstly, the bulbs planted in the container will not be lost, they will not go deeper into the ground, you can easily dig them out for transplanting and will not damage a single specimen. Secondly, the holes in the container are sufficient for the comfortable growth of plants, but insufficient for the penetration of rodents - the mice will not be able to get close to the bulbs either from the bottom or from the side. And thirdly, it is much easier to pour high-quality fertile soil into the container than to organize the same throughout the flower bed. So the advantages are obvious, and for planting it is not even necessary to purchase special baskets, you can build containers from available tools using plastic boxes or bottles.

Planting can be carried out both in the fall and in the fall, focusing on the weather - we all discussed this earlier. Dig a hole that matches the size of your basket or container, lower a container of fertile soil into this hole and plant the bulbs (planting depth remains unchanged - 3 bulb heights). Then water, and if planted in the fall, then mulch until spring.

The debate over whether tulips should be replanted every year continues. Some experts believe that for the preservation of varietal traits, it is necessary to carry out an annual transplant and return the flowers to their original place no earlier than four years later. Others argue that 3-4 year old tulips feel great in one place and should be transplanted only after this time. What to do with your plants is up to you. But remember that only with proper care will they please you with their flowering every year.

When to plant tulips