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Tulip Strong Love (Strong Love) surprises with deep, rich shades of ripe pomegranate. Its petals feel like leathery material to the touch, have a beautiful dark sheen. For the appearance of the flowers, as well as for the unpretentiousness of the Strong Love variety in the care, gardeners highly appreciated it.
Description of tulips Strong Love
Tulips Strong (Strong) belong to the class “Triumph” – the most popular in the world. It was bred as a result of crossing Darwin and Simple early tulips. Variety Strong Love Dutch selection, obtained on the basis of another similar variety called Strong Gold. They are united by the shape of the inflorescences and are distinguished only by the color of the petals.
The Strong Love variety has a slender shape. The flower-bearing stems are strong and durable, the height reaches 50–55 cm. The flowers are solitary and large, of a classic goblet shape, 6–10 cm high. They retain a decorative appearance – both in buds and after opening.
In the tulip variety Strong Love, the color of the petals changes from bright red at the top edge to maroon at the base. Such shades look spectacular against the background of dense foliage and a powerful stem.
The leaves are gray-green or green in color, have a smooth or slightly wavy edge. Harmonize with red-burgundy tones of flowers.
The flowering period is average, lasts up to 3 weeks and falls on April-May. The duration depends on the weather conditions and on how well the place for planting tulips is chosen.
Other features of the Strong Love variety:
- petals are glossy, leathery;
- flowering occurs once per season;
- the shape changes from narrow, cone-shaped to wider, goblet;
- lush foliage;
- leaf plates are large, matte, their length reaches the middle of the buds;
- the ability to produce a large number of baby bulbs.
Tulips are grown to decorate gardens, flower beds, as well as on an industrial scale. They are cut because they stay fresh for a long time. Suitable for medium or late forcing. But sometimes the forms of plants are curved. This is the disadvantage of the Strong Love variety.
Flowers are often kicked out for International Women’s Day on March 8
Planting and caring for a variety of tulips Strong Love
On the territory of Our Country, Strong Love tulips are planted almost everywhere. They are used to decorate areas. Planting and care require constant attention.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
The plot of the garden where it is planned to grow Strong Love tulips must meet the following requirements:
- good lighting throughout the day;
- a flat surface without lowlands, ravines, cracks in which moisture can stagnate;
- protection from drafts, cold wind;
- loamy or sandy soils, or any garden soil;
- soil with neutral or low acidity, or alkaline;
- lime content;
- the addition of sand or peat is desirable to lighten heavy, dense soils;
- soil fertility;
- presence of drainage.
Rules of landing
Tulips are the first plants to release buds immediately after the snow melts. The best time to plant Strong Love is autumn. Bulbs rooted before cold weather fall into a dormant state for the winter. In spring, stems and buds form. And after flowering is completed, the bulbs are dug up and stored in a dark, cool place until autumn.
Landing is carried out in September or October, depending on the weather conditions in a particular area. The temperature of the soil at a depth of 10 cm should be from +7 to +9 degrees.
When planting Strong Love tulips in the spring, a number of rules must be followed so that the plants bloom immediately:
- Keep the bulbs for 12 hours in the refrigerator (not in the freezer).
- Treat with a light solution of potassium permanganate.
- Root in the soil.
Tulips should be planted in spring before April.
Watering and top dressing
Watering Strong Love tulips should be plentiful and regular. At the same time, the amount of moisture that plants need decreases over time. After the end of the flowering period, watering is gradually reduced.
It is necessary to feed Strong Love tulips at least 3 times during the growing season. Complex mineral compositions with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium bring the greatest benefit to plants.
Reproduction of tulips Strong Love
The culture is propagated with the help of baby bulbs. Do it like this:
- In the middle of summer, the bulbs are dug out of the soil.
- Dried.
- Sprouted, damaged, diseased specimens are sorted, discarded.
- Healthy bulbs are sent for winter storage in a well-ventilated, cool room.
Diseases and pests of tulips Strong Love
Tulips Strong Love can infect pests and diseases caused by fungal, viral and bacterial infections.
Disease | Source and route of infection | Evidence | Treatment |
Gray mold | The fungus Botrytis cinerea and the specific tulip parasite Botrytis tulipae are airborne by spores, especially in high humidity. | Small brown or yellow spots on leaves | Treatment with fungicides |
Fuzarioz | Fungi Fusarium, infection through the soil | Slow development of the aerial part, damage to the bulbs | Plant destruction and tillage |
Variegation | Viruses carried by insects and gardening tools | White strokes on flowers and leaves, curvature of the stem, crushing of buds and bulbs | Removing infected instances |
The August illness | Parasite Tobacco necrosis virus, enters through lesions on the bulbs | Brownish strokes on leaf plates, then cracks, curvature of stems and leaves, brown spots on bulbs | Destruction of diseased plants |
Strong Love tulips can be affected by scab, rust, white and bacterial rot and other diseases.
Insects can also harm the culture: nematodes, aphids, bears, ticks, scoops, slugs. For prevention purposes, before planting tulips, flower beds are dug up, weeds are removed, and damaged bulbs are disposed of. Insecticides are used to control insects, and some, such as slugs, are harvested by hand.
Photo of tulips Strong Love
Connoisseurs of the strong love tulip variety share photos and descriptions of flowers.
Bright pomegranate-colored petals of the Strong Love variety attract attention in the garden
Combinations with other early-flowering bulbous crops look beautiful.
In flowerbeds, culture should be placed in the foreground, against the background of boxwood, gypsophila or spray chrysanthemums
Conclusion
Tulip Strong Love is good both in flower beds due to its long flowering, and in the cut. The variety is grown on an industrial scale, appreciated by amateur gardeners. Its main advantage is slender, classic goblet-shaped buds and pomegranate petals.