Planting tulips in open ground in autumn

Spring. There is still snow in some places, the ground has not yet departed from the frost, and the first sprouts of tulips are already breaking through the ground. The first green is pleasing to the eye. And in a few weeks, tulips will be one of the first to give bright colors to people tired of gray winter days. And even spring frosts cannot stop them – tulips bear the first signs of spring. And in order for these flowers to please us and our loved ones in early spring, they should be taken care of in advance. Moreover, these plants of the bulbous family are unpretentious in their care. For them, it is important to comply with the terms and rules of landing. And to learn about when to plant tulips in autumn or spring and how to properly cultivate the soil before planting, you will learn from this article.

Even a beginner will be able to cope with this matter, and with the onset of the first spring month, you will receive not only emotional, but also aesthetic pleasure from bright colors of various colors.

When to plant tulips: in autumn or spring

Experienced flower growers are of the same opinion regarding the time of planting tulips: flowers should be planted in the fall. Only during autumn planting can you see these first flowers in your garden in early spring. The earth has not yet warmed up, and the green sprouts have already hatched. Moreover, when planting tulips in the spring, their growth and flowering are significantly delayed. tulip bulbs simply do not have time to take root in such a short time.

Spring planting of tulips is also dangerous because it is during this period that the bulbs are much weaker and very susceptible to various fungal diseases. And during autumn plantings, gardeners have enough time to pay attention to these delicate flowers.

What other factors affect the seasonality of planting tulips

Many summer residents ask a reasonable question: why, in general, dig out, and then plant tulip bulbs again in the fall? Why such trouble if these unpretentious spring flowers can grow quietly in one place for several years? How correctly should tulips be planted in autumn so that in spring they will delight us with colorful buds?

However, there are several “buts” in the correct approach to breeding tulips:

• according to agrotechnical rules, tulips should be planted in their original place no earlier than five years later, which gives rise to the timely transplantation of tulip bulbs in the fall;
• every year, planting material without proper care and sorting will become smaller. As a result, after a few years, the flower beds will no longer bloom as violently as before, even in the presence of abundant greenery;
• before planting, you need to process tulip bulbs annually, protecting them from fungal diseases and infections. Bypassing the processes of sorting, processing and planting bulbs, you expose tulips to another danger: temperature changes and excessive humidity also negatively affect the formation of babies. They often become smaller and become very weak, which leads to a gradual degeneration of varietal characteristics;

  

• sorting of planting material. This procedure should be carried out annually, when it comes time to plant tulips in the fall. Thus, you can set aside weak, diseased or infected planting material in time and prevent the general infection of all flowers;
• By taking a minimum of time when planting tulips in the fall, you can adjust the planting density. You can also lay the foundation for beautiful flower beds or garden compositions in autumn days, taking into account the variety, color and height of plants. Moreover, it is in the spring days that when the heat comes on, a large number of gardening works fall on flower growers. And planting tulip bulbs in the fall frees up some of the precious time, especially since this process is not at all burdensome;

  

• self-grown planting material is the pride of any gardener. After all, buying tulip bulbs sometimes resembles a guessing game. Yes, and why the extra costs, if you can grow bulbs on your own. Only in this case, you can be 100% sure of the quality and preservation of the characteristics of the variety of each tulip.

Summarizing all the above conditions, we can make an unambiguous conclusion: planting tulips in open ground is best done in the fall.

What month to plant tulips

Before you start planting tulips in the fall, it is important to decide in which month you need to plant the bulbs. The optimal time is from the second half of September to the end of October.

If planted early, the bulbs can germinate before frost sets in and the flowers freeze. In the spring, it will be useless to wait for the flowering of frozen tulips.

Later landing is also undesirable. Bulbs need at least three to four weeks to take root. If the planting of tulips is carried out late, then in the spring its consequences will not keep you waiting: in the spring they will bloom much later or you can be left without flowers at all.

In any case, when planning the planting of tulips, it is necessary to focus not only on the recommended dates, but also take into account the climatic features of each region.

• in Siberia more severe climate, autumn there comes earlier than in the central regions. Therefore, the question: when to plant tulips in this region, one might say, rises squarely. It is recommended to plant bulbs from the third decade of August to mid-September. If the autumn is warm, then the planting period may last until the end of the first autumn month, but not later;

  

• in the Urals milder climate. But the timing of planting tulips in open ground depends on the area of ​​u10buXNUMXbresidence. In the north of the Ural region, you can land in the second decade of September, in the southern regions this period is longer – the landing must be done before October XNUMX;
• in Moscow and Moscow region weather conditions dictate different dates for planting tulips. They start planting bulbs in the Moscow region from September 20 and finish work no later than mid-October;
• in the southern regions of Our Country planting work begins no earlier than October. Planting bulbs too early is not in a hurry here. Florists are waiting for the required temperature to be established. Autumn comes into its own only from the second decade of October.

  

Regional affiliation is a secondary factor in determining the best time to plant flowers. It only roughly determines in which month you need to pay attention to weather conditions and start preparing for landing work. It is not worth trusting the forecasts of weather forecasters. Experienced gardeners who have been breeding tulips for more than a year have noted several signs of the coming autumn, in which it is necessary to prepare the soil and plant the bulbs in open ground.

The best European culinary specialists use the bulbs to prepare salads and dishes with an original taste.

Wherever you live, it is first of all important to pay special attention to the decreasing temperature of the earth. The most ideal temperature indicators for the moment when it is time to plant tulips in autumn are + 8˚С + 10˚С. In this case, the depth at which it is necessary to make test measurements should be at least 15 cm.

The air temperature at night is also important – it is necessary to complete all planting work until the mercury column drops below + 2˚С + 3˚С. It is with these parameters that the bulbs will have enough time for the root system to develop, but at the same time they will not have time to release the first leaves.

Compliance with the specified dates for planting tulips in the fall ensures that in the spring, with the first warm rays of the sun, tender green shoots immediately appear from under the ground, and in a few months you will be able to see the delicate and beautiful fruits of your labors on your site.

Sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that it is not possible to carry out timely landing work. How to plant tulips in autumn, if the snow fell early, difficult weather conditions or urgent employment caused a slight delay? Provided that there is still time before the onset of frost, you should not transfer such a responsible matter to spring. It is necessary to immediately begin landing work and complete it as soon as possible in compliance with all the rules.

Soil preparation for planting

No matter how beautiful the land on the site is, the preparatory stage of preparing the soil for planting cannot be skipped.

Every florist knows that by spending a minimum of time on this simple process, he will get the best result. For beginners, this information will also be useful.

We list the key points of landing work:

• Before planting, it is important to choose the right area where the bulbs will be planted. The features of breeding tulips will help you make a choice. These flowers are very fond of sunlight. Therefore, a place for a tulip flower bed should be chosen sufficiently lit, without dimming. The lack of sunlight necessarily affects the appearance of flowers. Not only do they grow weak, their stems stretch upward and twist, and the buds are likely to be smaller and less vibrant compared to plants of the same species grown in a sunlit spot.

  

• Tulips need to be protected from cold winds. Strong gusts can easily break their fragile stems. Frequent winds can nullify all efforts to improve the site.
• It is necessary to dig up the soil for planting 1 to 2 weeks before the start of work. But what if the heavy rains did not spoil you this fall? The day before digging, it is necessary to moisten the area abundantly. The soil should be dug to a depth of 20 – 25 cm.
• Too dense and heavy soil will make it difficult for young roots to grow and it will be very difficult for young shoots to break through it in the spring. Therefore, when planting such soil, it will be necessary to add sand directly to the holes or grooves immediately before planting tulip bulbs. Moreover, sand will not allow the bulbs to rot, as water will seep into the lower layers of the soil.

  

• The chemical composition of the soil is also an important factor in growing tulips. Therefore, it is worth considering in advance which organic and inorganic fertilizers should be applied to the soil when digging, and which ones should be added immediately before planting to each well. When choosing vitamins for the earth, you should pay attention to the fact that tulips love an alkaline environment. It will be useful to fertilize the earth with dolomite flour, compost or potassium nitrate. Too acidic soils must be deoxidized by adding 2-3 handfuls of wood ash to each hole when planting.
• Immediately before the start of the preparatory work, you need to pay attention to the occurrence of groundwater. Tulip roots can deepen up to 50 cm. Too humid environment will provoke rotting of the bulbous root system, and as a result, the bulb itself and the aerial part of the flower. To avoid such troubles, you should choose more elevated areas for planting tulips.

  

• After carrying out agrotechnical work, it is necessary to level the soil, leaving no pits and dents on the surface. Rainwater will drain into them, and when a sharp frost sets in, the planted bulbs can freeze and die.

Firstly, by such actions you will provoke an outbreak of fungal diseases of the bulbs. And secondly, this type of fertilizer can severely burn the roots, and the bulbs are likely to die.

Do not panic and think that planting tulips in the ground in autumn is too difficult. On the contrary, even a beginner can cope with it. The following video will help you in your endeavors.

How to plant tulip bulbs in autumn

Do you want to make a flower arrangement of blooming tulips? Or plant flowers with a carpet? Or maybe you will like small groups of tulips of different varieties, randomly scattered throughout the summer cottage? No matter what you want to see in the spring, there are some guidelines to keep in mind when planting tulips in the fall. By following these simple instructions, you are guaranteed to get even, large, bright tulip buds close to the ideal shape. Items are listed in order of importance, and it is advisable not to skip any action to obtain the desired result.

Moreover, the process of planting and caring for tulips is not burdensome and does not require large financial costs.

• Properly select and prepare the bulbs. The dug bulbs are sorted immediately. Unsuitable specimens for planting (affected by putrefactive bacteria, too small) should be immediately postponed. The largest and medium ones should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (light pink). Such an antiseptic treatment will disinfect the planting material. Having decided on the planting dates, tulip bulbs can be treated with solutions to stimulate growth and strengthen the root system.

  

• Following the rules for the formation of a flower bed, it is necessary to correctly distribute the bulbs over the prepared area, taking into account the variety, color and height of the plant. Tall tulips are best planted in the center, and stunted at the edges so that the larger flowers do not block much-needed sunlight for the smaller varieties.
• It is more convenient to plant tulips in grooves or holes. But before making holes in the ground, it is important to know how deep tulips should be planted. So, the recesses in the ground should be made small, no more than 12 – 15 cm. When planting, it is important to take into account the size and grade of the planting material. The largest tulip bulbs need to be planted to a depth of 15 cm, and those that are smaller – 10-12 cm. There is no need to run around the beds with a ruler and measure each bulb. The depth should be approximately three times the diameter of the bulb.

  

• Make neat grooves of the desired depth. The distance between the bulbs, as well as the depth of planting, depends on their size. Small specimens should be 6-8 cm apart, and large specimens 10 cm apart. It is best to make the aisles wider – at least 20-25 cm, so that all tulips receive enough sunlight. If you want to end up with a bright floral carpet, then planting material should be planted in a checkerboard pattern. At the same time, for 1 m² you will need at least 100 small onions, or up to 50 large ones.
• On a future flower bed, it is useful to make markings or put signs with the name of the variety and color of tulips, so that later, when digging, you do not confuse the bulbs.

  

• Before planting, it is advisable to treat the tulip bulbs to protect them from rodents. Experienced flower growers are advised to coat each bulb with Vishnevsky ointment or spray it with kerosene from a spray bottle. Or you can turn to chemical protection, because these little pests can negate all your efforts.
• Bulbs of prepared tulips should be planted in the wells gently, without effort. In this process, it is important that there is no air gap between the bulb and the soil.
• And the most pleasant moment comes. After filling the grooves or holes with earth, it is important to level the ground so that there are no pits and depressions on the site into which water can flow.

Moreover, they will make your work easier when it comes time to dig up the bulbs. Even the smallest tulip babies will remain inside the plastic container, and you will not confuse the varieties of your favorite flowers.

When and how to plant tulips in plastic baskets in the fall, you will learn from this video:

Caring for bulbs after planting

It is naive to believe that after you have covered the bulbs with soil, then care for tulips in the fall is not needed at all. It is desirable to additionally cover the site with mulching material, which is excellent for straw, spruce branches, sawdust, dry leaves.

In the absence or minimum precipitation in the autumn, it is advisable to water the area planted with tulips after 10 days. Focus on the condition of the soil.

It is important to monitor the amount of precipitation in the winter. If Zimushka is generous with snowfalls, then there is no need to take any action to preserve the bulbs. But if on the contrary, then on the site on which tulips are planted, it is necessary to manually throw as much snow as possible, covering future flower beds with a snow-white blanket.

This will keep your flowers from freezing. As you can see, caring for tulips is not at all difficult.

It is important to have a great mood and a desire to create a small paradise in your garden.