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Terry types of tulips are very popular all over the world. They differ from other species in openwork petals and a three-dimensional shape of a bud. Tulip Ice Cream is one of the most beautiful varieties of double flowers. It comes in two colors and one color. The buds look especially beautiful during the blooming period: the petals unfold at the same time, forming an airy snow-white cloud that crowns the color base.
Description Tulip Ice Cream
The tulip buds of the Ice Cream variety outwardly resemble ice cream, especially the top, in the form of a lush snow-white cap.
In some sources, there is another name for the flower – “Plombir”
There are many petals on the bud, more often they are two-colored. Their upper tier is painted white. The lower part of the bud is in pink, red or lilac. The colored petals of the lower tier have wide green veins. Less common are varieties with monophonic inflorescences. The petals framing the entire bud are terry, inside they are smooth and even.
The Banana Ice Cream variety was bred relatively recently, it is distinguished by a yellow core of a luxurious lush flower
The diameter of a half-opened bud is approximately 7 cm, when the flower fully blooms, its size will exceed 10 cm.
The stem of the flower is thick, strong and massive. Its height reaches 0,4 m, it is painted in a deep dark green color.
The leaves are large, long and wide, their length is slightly shorter than the stem. The color is pale green, with a smoky coating. In the photo you can see that the tips of the ice cream tulip leaf may turn yellow.
The buds bloom in mid or late May, the process lasts until July. The cut flower retains its color and shape for a long time, does not crumble. The aroma of flowers is rich, bright.
Planting and caring for tulips Ice Cream
Breeders of the variety assure that the culture does not require special attention and grows in any conditions. This is not entirely true; in practice, the Ice Cream tulip is a delicate plant that needs care and attention.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Ice Cream tulip bulbs are recommended to be planted in open, well-lit flower beds, protected from strong winds. The culture tolerates light shade well, but bud brightness and stem height may suffer under these growing conditions.
Before planting, the soil is carefully dug up, fluffed up. You can mix garden soil with a little sand or clay. If the soil is heavy, humus is added to it (10 kg per 1 m2) or peat. If the site is waterlogged, the beds are made high.
The design of high beds will protect against the accumulation of water in the winter months, prevent the tubers from getting wet
Bulbs begin to prepare in February. First, they are treated with a weak solution of manganese or Fundazole, then they are rooted in flower pots filled with garden soil.
The soaking procedure will disinfect the planting material, prevent the appearance of mold
At the beginning or end of March, depending on weather conditions, hatched bulbous plants are transferred to open ground.
Rules of landing
Landing in the soil on the site is carried out in early spring, as soon as it gets warmer. By this time, the Ice Cream tulip bulbs are ready for germination.
Algorithm of actions:
- Fertilize the earth with compost, dig it up.
- Dig holes with a flat bottom, 15 cm deep, the distance between them should be at least 10 cm. The depth of the hole depends on the size of the tuber: small ones are rooted by 7-10 cm, large ones by 15 cm.
- Fill the bottom of the planting hole with a thin layer of sand.
- Immerse the sprouted bulbs in a potassium solution for 1 hour.
- Place the plant in the hole with the sprout up, dig in with previously removed and fluffy soil, pour warm water (+ 30 ᵒС).
Planting tulips is carried out in groups or rows.
Tulip terry Ice Cream is a late variety that easily tolerates a drop in temperature. You can plant a crop in October. Only large, strong, healthy bulbs are suitable for autumn planting. The autumn rooting procedure is carried out similarly to the spring one. A month later, the beds with bulbs are spudded, insulated with spruce branches.
You can plant the Ice Cream variety in containers, having previously made drainage holes in the bottom and poured a layer of expanded clay. To root the bulbs, a soil mixture is taken from soddy and compost soil, sand and peat, taken in equal parts.
Watering and top dressing
Tulip Ice Cream needs regular, moderate watering. If the weather is warm, but not hot, the plant needs only one soil moisture per week.
In summer, when the thermometer rises above + 30 ᵒС, and there is no rain for a long time, tulips are watered every other day
Ice Cream tulips need regular feeding. The first is carried out in the process of rooting the bulbs, adding compost to the soil.
During the period of growth, budding and flowering, the soil is fertilized at least 5 times per season. For these purposes, complex mineral fertilizer for bulbous crops is used. As soon as the first buds appear on the stem, Ice Cream tulips are watered with a potassium solution. The substance stimulates the appearance of buds, accelerates their flowering, prolongs it.
In one place, Ice Cream tulips can grow up to 5 years. But flower growers recommend, in order to preserve varietal characteristics, to dig out bulbs annually and plant them again.
Reproduction of tulips Ice Cream
All tulips are propagated by bulbs. Getting Ice Cream babies is not easy. No more than 2 pieces ripen on each bulb. The strongest should be selected.
After flowering, the buds are cut off, and the leaves and stems are left to dry completely. Then the bulbs are harvested. Planting material is dug up at the end of July or at the beginning of August, left to dry in the open air for a couple of hours. Then the bulbs are cleaned of soil residues and dry husks. In the process, the roots should be inspected, damaged and moldy should be removed.
The tubers are laid out on a bedding or cardboard in a dry place in one layer. Store for 2-3 weeks at a temperature of + 20 ᵒС. Then it is reduced, brought to + 12 ᵒС. Under such conditions, the bulbs are stored until planting.
Diseases and pests
During the growing season, Ice Cream tulips are regularly weeded to get rid of weeds. This helps prevent the development of garden diseases: gray rot, mold.
The tulip suffers from rot, if the soil is waterlogged, this should not be allowed.
The main garden pest of Ice Cream tulips is the snail. It is easy to notice by regularly caring for the plant. The slug is removed from the beds, and the soil is sprinkled with a special powder that repels these insects.
Slugs and snails eat young shoots and leaves of Ice Cream tulip, destroy bulbs
An effective remedy against garden pests is tobacco dust. It is sprayed on flower beds.
Conclusion
Tulip Ice Cream is a beautiful flower with lush buds of an unusual shape. They look like ice cream. If flowerbeds with these flowers are broken near the porch or under the windows, in addition to a beautiful view, you can charm the delicate aroma of a blooming tulip. Caring for a rare variety is not difficult, it is important to carry it out regularly and take into account all the recommendations of experienced flower growers.