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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Tulips
Planting
Tulips prefer a site with full or afternoon sun. In Zones 7 and 8, choose a shady site or one with morning sun only, as tulips don鈥檛 like a lot of heat.
The soil must be well-draining, neutral to slightly acidic, fertile, and dry or sandy. All tulips dislike areas with excessive moisture. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost.
Tall varieties should be sheltered from strong winds.
When to Plant Tulips
- Plant tulip bulbs in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before a hard, ground-freezing frost is expected. The bulbs need time to establish themselves. Planting too early leads to disease problems. See local frost dates.
- A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs when the average nighttime temperatures in your area are in the 40s.
- In colder northern climates, plant in September or October. In warmer climates, plant bulbs in December (or even later).
- To find the best dates, consult our fall bulb planting chart.
- Nature never intended bulbs to loll about above ground, so don鈥檛 delay planting the bulbs after purchase.
- In southern climates with mild winters, plant bulbs in late November or December. The bulbs will need to be chilled in the refrigerator for about 12 weeks before planting. (Bulb suppliers often offer pre-chilled bulbs for sale, too.)
- If you miss planting your bulbs at the optimal time, don鈥檛 wait for spring or next fall. Bulbs aren鈥檛 like seeds. Even if you find an unplanted sack of tulips or daffodils in January or February, plant them and take your chances. See more about planting tulips in winter.
How to Plant Tulips
- Plant bulbs fairly deep鈥8 inches deep, or about three times the height of the bulb. Dig a hole deeper than that in order to loosen the soil and allow for drainage. In clay soils, plant 3 to 6 inches deep instead.
- Space bulbs 4 to 6 inches apart.
- Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up. Cover with soil and press soil firmly.
- Water bulbs right after planting. Although they can鈥檛 bear wet feet, bulbs need water to trigger growth.
- If you鈥檙e planning to raise perennial tulips, feed them a balanced fertilizer when you plant them in the fall. Bulbs are their own complete storage system and contain all of the nutrients they need for one year. Use organic material, compost, or a balanced time-release bulb food.
- To deter mice and moles鈥攊f they have been a problem鈥攑ut holly or any other thorny leaves in the planting holes. Some gardeners use kitty litter or crushed gravel. If ravenous voles and rodents are a real problem, you may need to take stronger measures, such as planting bulbs in buried wire cages.
- Don鈥檛 lose hope if you鈥檙e planting your tulips later in the season鈥攋ust follow these tips.
Growing
- If it rains weekly, do not water. However, if there is a dry spell and it does not rain, you should water the bulbs weekly until the ground freezes.
- Rainy summers, irrigation systems, and wet soil are death to tulips. Never deliberately water a bulb bed unless in a drought. Wet soil leads to fungus and disease and can rot bulbs. Add shredded pine bark, sand, or any other rough material to the soil to foster swift drainage.
- Apply compost annually to provide nutrients needed for future blooms.
- In the spring, when leaves emerge, feed your tulip the same bulb food or bone meal you used at planting time. Water well.
- Deadhead tulips as soon as they go by, but do not remove the leaves!
- Allow the leaves to remain on the plants for about 6 weeks after flowering. The tulips need their foliage to gather energy for next year鈥檚 blooms! After the foliage turns yellow and dies back, it can be pruned off.
- Large varieties may need replanting every few years; small types usually multiply and spread on their own.
Catherine Boeckmann
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Add some compost or a balanced time-release bulb food to the soil. Let the foliage die back naturally. If the bulbs have been in the ground a few years you may need to dig them up and divide them.
I planted some Fringe Tulips for my May Birthday and they were green and lovely in April but after a cold spell I brought them because they were in a container. One bloomed inside my house but the others were still growing. I put them back outside and the tips of the leaves have been turning all sorts of shades of pink and purple but now flower yet. Should I stay patient to see if a flower pops out soon or does it seem the up and down temperatures put too much stress on the flowers.
do i pull tulips that have leaves but no flower---many with a single leaf? thanks. john
I want know what to do after they stop flowing , I have a small pot given to me and I also need to replant
Put the container outdoors after the blooms have faded and keep the soil moist. When the leaves turn yellow you can plant the tulips in the ground. If you have cool winters (tulip bulbs need a chilling period) they may bloom again next spring.
My tulips this were very leggy and had very few flowers,when can I remove them from the ground,most have leaves but no flowers
i have a co-worker who wants to know if tulip bulbs can be left in the ground or do they have to come out
That’s actually an interesting question. It depends on the tulip bulb. Some tulips are perennials (the smaller species types) and come back each year while others (large types) need to be replanted every few years. Many gardeners treat their tulips as annuals, planting new bulbs each fall, especially if it’s a hybrid variety (as many are). Either way, let the tulips leaves yellow and die back naturally first.
I received two beautiful tulips for Easter and they have finished flowering, Can I plant them now or should I wait until fall?
Tulips that have been forced to bloom at a certain time may be difficult to get to rebloom but you can give it a try. Put the container outdoors after the blooms have faded and keep the soil moist. When the leaves turn yellow you can plant the tulips in the ground. If you have cool winters (tulip bulbs need a chilling period) they may bloom again next spring.
