We are all fond of the spring time flower, tulips. With their vibrant color and distinctive cup shaped petals, it’s no wonder so many people adore them. And yet, they are incredibly easy to grow – anyone can do it. As long as you have a bit of space and plant them correctly, you’ll be on your way to seeing bright, colorful tulips growing in your garden. It will also be the start of spring, a season most people enjoy because it is followed by summer. You don’t have to be an expert gardener to be able to plant and grow tulips successfully. So just give it a try and follow our tips on how to grow them.
The first step you need to take when it comes to growing your flowers is to find a plot of space for your tulips in the fall. The best time to grow tulips is in October. Now you are ready to start planting.
Firstly, you need to dig a tulip bed that is located in a sunny spot of your garden. It should be about 1 foot deep. Then add fertilizer to the soil and ensure it is well worked in to it. When you buy tulip bulbs they must be firm and healthy looking, otherwise they could be rotten inside. So pick them carefully. Your tulip bulbs should be about two inches below the ground and about five or six inches apart from one another as they need a certain amount of space to grow. The root of the bulb should be pointing downwards so ensure it is doing so. Using your hands, gently rake the soil across the bulbs and press the soil down with your hands. Do not move the bulbs! Applying mulch depends on the climate you have. If you live in a warm environment, you do not need to apply and can, thus, ignore this step. However, if you live in a colder environment it would be best to apply it over the bulbs and remove it when warmer weather comes and heats the ground.
You only need to water your bulbs if the ground is very dry. And if you do, you must use a watering can and not a hose pipe because the water flow will be softer. If there is enough moisture in the ground, there is no need for them to be watered. Because they grow through the autumn and winter, there should be enough rainfall to moisten the ground.
You should soon begin to see them blooming, which of course will be a wonderful sight to see. It is a highly rewarding experience, seeing them grow.
If you are planning on placing them indoors, you can cut the tulips if you wish. As soon as the tulip heads begin fading, you need to remove them from the plant. However you must not touch the green stems too soon as they need to firstly feed the bulb to enable them to grow again the following year. When the foliage has died, you can cut that too.
As for pests that may affect the growth of your tulips, the main culprits are rats and squirrels. The best method to prevent them damaging them or eating them, is to spread cayenne pepper over the tulip patches.
Growing tulips does not require a lot of skill or a lot of maintenance. They are simply easy and enjoyable flowers to grow. As long as you follow our directions, you will soon be seeing blooming tulips sprouting up from the garden. So why not give it a go this upcoming spring?
