How to plant tulips in spring: timing, nuances and soil requirements
Tulips are planted in the spring after the snow melts and the soil warms up.
Tulips are quite unpretentious flowers that even beginners in floriculture can grow. Usually tulips are planted in winter, but if for some reason you did not have time, you can do this in the spring. Tulips planted in spring bloom much later than in autumn, which is a plus for many. After all, when the flowers in other flower beds wither for a long time, your tulips will still delight you with flowers.
Earlier, UNIAN told how to water flowers for lush flowering in a pot.
When to plant tulips in spring
When to plant tulips in spring depends on the type of flower. Early varieties of tulips can be planted in the second half of March, when all the snow has melted and the soil is not frozen. If you are afraid that there will be frost ahead, you can plant tulips first in pots, and in April transplant them into a flower bed. Late varieties can be sown from mid-April to the end of May.
How to prepare the site for planting tulips
For planting tulips, choose a sunny spot with light, non-acidic soil. Dig the soil to a depth of 25 cm. While digging, fertilize the area with compost, wood ash or humus.
How to prepare bulbs for planting
Before planting, the bulbs can be hardened off so that they are not afraid of sudden frosts. To do this, leave the bulbs in the refrigerator overnight. Then, if desired, the planting material can be soaked for half an hour in a solution: 100 ml of hydrogen peroxide per 1 liter of water. If the bulbs have already been processed by the seller, then this is not necessary.
How to plant tulips and care for them in spring
If you have different varieties of tulips, each variety should be planted separately, not mixed. Tulips are planted in this way:
- make furrows 3 times the length of a medium bulb;
- pour the holes with water;
- plant the bulbs with the tip up with a distance of 10 cm;
- lightly sprinkle the bulbs with earth, but do not tamp;
- level the ground in the flower bed with a rake and water the area.
It will take about 2 weeks for the rooting of the bulbs, after another 2 weeks the first shoots will appear. After the appearance of the first green leaves, lightly loosen the soil with a rake, but not deep. Water the flower bed regularly so that the soil does not dry out. Be careful not to get water on the leaves. Spring tulips bloom around the beginning or middle of summer.
If you want to plant tulips next year, carefully dig up the bulbs in the fall and leave them in the cellar or on the balcony for storage.