Contents
Early feeding of tulips in spring will ensure their abundant and long flowering. Before the start of the budding process and upon its completion, mineral and organic fertilizers are used. It is important to follow the schedule and norms of their application in order to provide the plant with all the necessary trace elements.
Large bright buds cannot be obtained on depleted soil without fertilization
Features of feeding tulips
These fragile flowers have a short growing season, but they require a lot of nutrients during this time. Tulips absorb microelements well during the formation of buds. But for their long and bright flowering, the first top dressing is carried out immediately after the snow has left the ground. During this period, fertilizers are important for forcing tulips.
The most important trace elements for spring flowers are phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. They are found in almost any complex fertilizer for flowering crops. But for the proper development of the flower and the formation of buds, organic matter is also necessary.
If the flower garden has good, fertile soil, top dressing is still necessary. Tulips respond well to additional nutrients.
How often to feed tulips
Each stage of plant growth and development requires certain types of fertilizers. The first time top dressing is carried out during the germination of tulips.
Flowers that have broken through the thickness of the earth need growth stimulation
Tulips are re-fertilized in the process of bud formation, the third time the flower is fed during the flowering period and upon its completion. In total, bulbous plants are fertilized at least 3 times per season.
Types of top dressing for tulips
Flowering crops need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In addition to them, the plant needs iron, iodine, magnesium, zinc, iodine, copper.
Mineral Fertilizers
After the snow melts, the first top dressing for bulbous plants is introduced. It must contain nitrogen, potassium or phosphorus. Early feeding of tulips in spring is necessary for their abundant flowering.
Suitable fertilizers:
- phosphate in the form of superphosphatea – stimulate the laying of buds, strengthen the root of the plant, but this element must be dosed, since it is deposited in the soil;
Superphosphate in the form of granules is easy to use as a fertilizer
- potash: potassium sulfate, wood ash, potassium salt – increase the plant’s resistance to diseases, stimulate the laying of healthy bulbs, increase their number;
- fertilizing with nitrogen: ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and urea stimulate the appearance of large, colorful buds, the green part of the plant becomes strong.
Iron is important for the growth of tulips, without it the leaves and stem turn yellow, the plant weakens. With a lack of magnesium, rusty spots appear on the leaves of the culture, the plant begins to wither and die.
The lack of iron and magnesium immediately affects the appearance of the plant.
Molybdenum is important for metabolic processes; without it, tulips are prone to chlorosis.
With chlorosis, the color of a part of the plant changes.
The lack of each of these substances leads to a deterioration in the condition of the green and flowering parts of the plant. It is important to prevent an overabundance of minerals – the culture will start to hurt, and the bulbs will stop forming.
As top dressing, it is better to use complex mineral fertilizers, such as Kemira Universal. The solution for irrigation is prepared according to the instructions.
Folk remedies
Immediately after the snow melts, the beds with tulips are shed with a solution of mullein and water in a ratio of 1:10. The nutrient fluid stimulates the awakening of the bulbs.
Baker’s yeast (1 small pack per bucket of water) can speed up the growth of early tulip varieties. The solution is made on the basis of a warm liquid, they are watered with breaking sprouts in the spring.
Sugar (1 tablespoon), diluted in warm water (0,5 l), accelerates the growth of the green part of the plant. Also, the solution is able to awaken bulbs that do not hatch for a long time. Sprouted tubers are poured with sugar water under the root.
What fertilizer to apply under tulips
For top dressing, complex purchased fertilizers are used or the necessary trace elements are added separately. In the spring, nitrogen and potassium are especially important to prepare the plant for flowering.
How to fertilize tulips in spring
The first time top dressing is applied immediately after the snow has melted. Dry fertilizers can be scattered in a thin layer over the flower bed and sealed into the ground with shallow loosening. For these purposes, humus is suitable. It is taken at the rate of 5 kg per 1 sq. m and dig with soil, then moisten the earth from a watering can.
Dry rotted organic matter is mixed with the ground until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Top dressing of tulips in the spring with urea is carried out as follows: 30 g of the substance is dissolved in a bucket of water, beds with hatching bulbs are shed with liquid.
Top dressing of tulips in the spring with ashes is good to carry out even on the ground damp from snow. To do this, 20 g of ammonium nitrate is mixed with a glass of wood ash. This amount of fertilizer is enough for 1 square. m. Dry top dressing is sprayed on moist soil, dug up shallowly.
A mixture of boric acid and zinc well stimulates the formation of buds. Bring it under the root or spray the green part of the plant. To prepare a nutrient solution, take 10 g of boric acid and zinc, dissolve in 10 liters of water.
As soon as the tulips begin to grow in the spring, the process of laying buds will begin, you will need to feed with azophos. This drug is also called nitroammofoska.
Top dressing complex, granular, contains nitrogen and phosphorus
The granules are scattered over a flower bed with tulips, loosen the soil, then water abundantly. After laying the buds, irrigation should be reduced, otherwise waterlogging can lead to rotting of the root system.
In the process of feeding tulips in the spring during budding, you can spray them with a complex preparation – Plantafol. It is taken at the rate of 20 ml per 1,5 liters of water.
The composition of top dressing includes all the necessary trace elements for lush and long flowering.
During the flowering period, it is better to use purchased complex preparations: Kemira, Planta, Gera. Their composition is balanced, the rhizome of the plant will receive only the trace elements it needs in the right amount.
You can replace ready-made additives with the composition: 15 g of potassium nitrate, 30 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea.
All substances are granular, they are easy to mix and sprinkle them on the soil in a tulip flower bed. This amount of fertilizer is taken per 1 sq. m.
The dry mixture is sprayed only on moistened soil; it must not be allowed to fall on the green part of the plant.
2 weeks after flowering, it is necessary to carry out another top dressing. It stimulates the formation of high-quality planting material. For its preparation, take 1 tsp. potassium sulfate and 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate, dissolved in a bucket of water. To water one plant, you need 0,5 liters of liquid.
How to fertilize tulips in autumn
In the process of autumn feeding, the main necessary trace elements are also added to the soil: phosphorus and potassium. Substances are applied to dug up, well-loosened soil 3 weeks before planting the bulbs.
For 1 sq. m will need rotted manure (at least 10 kg), you can replace it with humus. The bed is dug up along with the nutrient substance.
In autumn, a glass of wood ash or dolomite flour can be added to the soil.
Ready-made mineral fertilizer intended for onion crops is suitable for enriching autumn soil. It is taken from the calculation of 2 tbsp. l. per 1 sq. m.
Phosphorus and potassium are also introduced into the planting furrows. These trace elements contribute to the establishment of a strong root system, increase the resistance of planting material to diseases and adverse weather conditions.
In fertilized soil, tulip bulbs take root better, easily tolerate frosts, temperature changes, and a long winter period.
How to fertilize tulips
Caring for bulbous crops begins in early spring, as soon as the snow melts.
It does not make sense to scatter dry fertilizers over a crust of ice, as it melts unevenly
Dry areas of the earth will be overly saturated with microelements, and those covered with snow simply will not receive them, because of this, germination and flowering may be uneven.
For top dressing, only well-rotted manure is used, ideally it should be in the manure heap for at least 3 years. The same recommendation applies to humus: its “ripening” period should be at least a year.
Watering with fertilizers under the root is carried out with a watering can without a sprayer, many top dressings are harmful to the ground part of the plant, they can simply burn it.
Tulips are watered with complex fertilizers only on wet ground. This will protect the rhizome of the culture from burns, increase the absorption of nutrients.
Nitrogen fertilizers are not used in autumn, as they stimulate growth and abundant flowering. Their time is spring.
Useful Tips
Experienced flower growers are advised to always follow the recommendations of the fertilizer manufacturer, not to exceed the dosage.
Other recommendations:
- Complex fertilizers are purchased only for flowering bulbous crops.
- It is important to separate autumn and autumn dressings, their composition and dosage vary.
- Before fertilizing, tulips and the soil around are watered abundantly.
- Do not allow water and liquid fertilizers to get on the leaves – this leads to the formation of burns.
- Between the introduction of various types of dressings, it is important to maintain an interval of at least 5 days.
- If, after flowering, the tulip is fed with zinc or boron, this will stimulate the growth of daughter bulbs.
Timely top dressing of tulips in spring will stimulate their abundant and regular flowering.
Conclusion
Top dressing of tulips in spring is the most important agrarian procedure for flowering crops. Properly applied fertilizers will strengthen the plant, leaving no chance for diseases. The main goal of top dressing is to achieve abundant and long flowering, to keep the stems and leaves of plants juicy and green.