Features of tulip care
Content:
Briefly about tulips
Tulips are herbaceous perennial bulbous plants of the Liliaceae family. The mountainous regions of Central Asia - Tien Shan, Pamir, Altai are considered its homeland. Today the tulip is one of the most popular and widespread horticultural crops. This plant prefers a dry climate, but takes root well in the conditions of the domestic middle zone.
Tulip flowers, as a rule, are single, large, located on dark green stems up to 90 cm high. The shape and color of the flower can be very diverse.
What are the varieties of tulips
At the moment, more than 80 types of tulips are known. In general, garden tulips are divided into early flowering, medium and late flowering.
The flowers of early tulips are smaller in size than later cousins and bloom in mid-spring. Early flowering plants are divided into simple, more weather resistant, and more lush, but less resistant. terry. Among the simple early tulips, the popular varieties are Princess Irene and Candy Prince. Famous terry early varieties - "Monte Carlo", "Foxtrot".
The well-known "Oxford" belongs to the middle grades.
The hardy and lush late tulips bloom at the end of May and are extremely varied. Among them there are simple varieties ("LongLady"), exquisite lily-colored ("Sapporo", "Holland Chic"), fringed ("Black Jewel"), green-colored ("Artist"), original parrots ("Rembrandt"), terry ("Ice Cream").
Tulip cultivation methods
Tulips are grown in two ways - from seeds and from bulbs. The second method is preferred for novice florists due to its simplicity and fast results. It is about him that will be discussed further.
Instructions for growing tulips
Before planting, it is recommended to place the planting material in the sun in the morning or evening hours. The depth depends on the size of the bulb and is 2-3 of its diameter. After planting, the soil is covered with peat or sawdust, dry leaves are also suitable.
Top dressing is carried out three times a season (necessarily in the fall before planting and in the spring), its choice is determined by the state of the plant. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied if the foliage loses its vertical position and becomes narrow. If a bluish border appears on the leaves, potassium will need to be added. Fertilization with fresh manure is contraindicated for tulips and leads to rotting of the bulbs and the development of fungus. Also, the plant is badly affected by the presence of chlorine in the dressing.
In the spring, it is recommended to remove diseased plants and disinfect the hole with potassium permanganate. Tilling the soil around tulips should be done with care, without damaging the root system.
To make the bulbs larger, the flowers should be cut without leaves.
When to plant tulips
The optimal time for planting bulbs is mid-September. During this period, the soil temperature is about +10 degrees. It is important that the flowers do not have time to germinate before the first frost, which will lead to their death.
Where to plant tulips
Experienced flower growers advise choosing a place where tulips have not been planted for several years. A well-drained and well-lit area, sheltered from the wind, will do. Suitable soils are sandy loam with neutral acidity, loam. Before planting, it is advisable to apply fertilizers: ash, humus, superphosphate, potassium.To enhance drainage, coarse sand placed at the bottom of the planting groove is suitable.
Digging and storing tulip bulbs
The best time to dig up the bulbs is the first week of July, as soon as the leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow and lose their elasticity. By this time, they are already fully ripe and suitable for planting material. Suitable bulbs can be distinguished by the following features: round shape; diameter not less than 3.5 cm; the presence of brown scales. After removing them from the ground, they should be dried in the shade for 3 days. A dark dry room with a temperature of + 18-20 degrees and a humidity of 70-75% is suitable for storage. Boxes filled with sawdust or straw are ideal storage containers.