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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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Hi, this is my first year trying to grow tulips. I noticed just today that my tulips have pushed through the ground - we are expecting frost tonight - well a low of( -13C) will they survive? Do I need to cover them?
thank you.
Maribeth
I was given tulips in a pot as a gift. I live in Florida and we tend to have wet springs and summers, rain storms almost every afternoon. How would I care for the bulbs after the blooms and foliage die?
last week got two pots full of blooming tulips ~ once they have finished blooming and have died back do i leave them in the soil in the pot? remove and wrap in newspaper? store in dark cool place indoors? and refrigerate in october/november ? it is so hot during the summer here and where they would be planted they would get watered i believe too much and probably rot. florida, i know not ideal for growing tulips.
any help would be great. thank you !
Hi. I just pot a pot of Tulips from Lowes yesterday. There are no flowers bloomed yet just green leaves. Can I plant them this week-end? Will they bloom or do I need to wait till next spring to see them bloom?
Help!! I'm not a gardener this is my first garden and plant!!
Enjoy your tulips in the pot. When they are done blooming and the leaves start turning yellow plant them in full sun or in a spot that gets afternoon sun.
I bought some tulips in pots , some are blooming some are not. Should I plant them now or wait until they stop bloomimg.?
Should I plant them in shade or full sun?
Enjoy your tulips in the pot. When they are done blooming and the leaves start turning yellow plant them in full sun or in a spot that gets afternoon sun.
I live in Buffalo,NY and I have some new tulips
just coming up. We may get some snow the first of April. Should I cover my tulip sprouts?
Hi John,
You do not need to cover the tulips. They will survive any spring snows.
I planted some tulips someone gave me as a gift. I covered them up with a board and a brick. Three weeks ago I took the board and brick off. I see my neighbors tulips stem have already came through the dirt. My stems have not. What can I do beside wait?
