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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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About 4 years ago, I planted several tulip bulbs. They have not come up for the past two years. While digging in my flower garden, I accidentally dug up about 25 bulbs, which appear to not be rotted, but have not rooted either and have not sprouted. Can I just replant them now and see if they make it? I realize they won't bloom this year, but am just wondering if this would be worth the effort. I live in zone 4.
This is a real mystery … You are in a cold zone; they should have got the chill they need. It’s a puzzle but if they do not appear to have deteriorated, try them again, sure.
My tulips bloomed about one week ago. They still look nice - and I'm hoping to use them next week for a center piece for my daughters first communion party. Will they last longer in the ground or should I cut them and follow the steps for putting them in a vase?
I planted tulip bulbs given to me by my sister who brought them from the Netherlands. I planted them in planters on my deck in the fall. This spring the tulips leaves did emerge, but no tulips. When can I remove the bulbs and replant in another location? I am guessing they weren't planted deep enough? Can I plant them now or do I need to wait until fall and dig them up then? Thank you!
Tulips usually grow unless a rodent got to the bulbs or the bulbs rotted in the ground. In your case, if the tulips grew with leaves and without blooms, then the usual cause is how the bulbs were sourced or stored. In the future, the only way to know this is to cut a bulb in half longitudinally to make sure the flower bud is alive, not brown or dried.
I received beautiful pink tulips in a hydroponic vase for Easter. Now that they have finished flowering, can I continue to grow them the regular way and how?
All of the sources that we consulted suggest that bulbs that have been forced in water (grown hydroponically) do no have the strength to live again. They are best discarded. If you want in-ground tulips, purchase and plant them in the fall (this, assuming you live in an area that has winter conditions for at least a couple of months).
I bought a pot of tulips that were growing in a vase. The tulips are spent and the foliage is brown but I'm not sure of what to do with the bulbs. Sacramento winters rarely get cold, and on the rare occasions that we are cold it only lasts a few days. Suggestions?
I bought tulip bulbs from schippol airport shop. I planted those in the container . I live in Jakarta Indonesia. After 2 days, the bulbs is growing fasted. Hopefully it can be growed and flowering. But I turn on all day and night my Air Conditioner at 20_22 degree celcius. How low should I keep the room temperatur for the better life of tulip bulbs? My room is at west side. That means rich of sunshine. Thank you.
I planted about 100 tulips a few years ago. They came up beautifully, but soon after, all the flowers were eaten by deer. Since then, all that comes up are the green leaves, but no flower. Anything I can do?
