Tulips: when and how to plant bulbs in spring

It is generally believed that planting tulips in the spring is not the best solution. This is traditionally done in autumn to wait for them to bloom in April-May of the following year. However, it is at the beginning of spring that a wide variety of varietal tulip bulbs appears on sale, having bought which, of course, you really want to quickly find a place for them in the garden, root and admire the results. It also happens that for some reason the grower does not have the opportunity or time to plant tulips before winter. In this case, you can carry out a spring planting. The most important thing is to do it correctly, taking into account the climate in the region and the peculiarities of the local weather. Experienced gardeners assure that such tulips can bloom even this year.

Is it possible to plant tulips in spring

You can definitely plant tulips in spring. Such a landing will be based on other rules that distinguish it from the usual autumn one, but they are unlikely to seem complicated. The key is to properly prepare the bulbs for rooting in the spring and plant them at the right time and weather.

When to plant tulips outdoors in spring

Planting tulips in spring in open ground is recommended early. The most basic condition is that the snow has already melted, and the soil at a depth of 10 cm has time to warm up to + 8-9 ° С.

It is important to plant tulips in the spring, taking into account the weather forecast: in the next 20-25 days after the scheduled day, serious frosts should not be expected. Otherwise, the bulbs are highly likely to die, and if they survive, they will not bloom at all soon.

In order for tulips to successfully take root in open ground in spring, the soil at a depth of 10 cm must warm up to + 8-9 ° С

Thus, the approximate time for planting tulips in the ground in the Moscow region in the spring is mid / late March and early April. In regions located to the north, suitable conditions may come much later, it happens that even in early May.

Will tulips planted in spring bloom?

As to whether the tulips that were planted in the spring will bloom this season, opinions differ.

Some gardeners claim that in this case flowering can only be expected next year, since the flower buds of the bulbs simply do not have time to ripen.

Others believe that, knowing the correct agricultural technology and the secrets of preliminary preparation of the bulbs, it is possible to plant tulips in the spring, hoping to see them in all their glory this year. However, the buds on them will appear later than usual – not earlier than June. In addition, the flowering of these tulips will not be as plentiful and friendly as those that are traditionally planted in the fall.

Tulips planted in spring may bloom in the current season, but much later than usual and not too abundant

How to plant tulips in spring

If you are going to plant tulips in the spring in open ground, the grower should be well aware of the features of this procedure. The key role will be played by the correct processing of the bulbs – whether they have just been purchased or have been in storage since the fall. In addition, it is important to correctly select and prepare a site for a flower garden, then plant plants, observing the process technology in detail, and organize proper care for the growing tulips.

Selection and preparation of the landing site

When choosing a site where tulips are to be planted, one should proceed from what growing conditions they prefer. A flower garden for them in open ground should have the following characteristics:

• be well lit and sufficiently warmed up by the sun (especially those who are going to plant tulips in the spring in cold regions – in Siberia, in the Urals) should pay special attention to this requirement;
• be protected from strong winds by a small fence or bush barrier;
• soil reaction should be neutral or slightly alkaline;
• the optimal composition of the soil is light sandy loam, loam;
• The soil must be well drained, as if the water stagnates, the bulbs will rot.

Before planting tulips, the ground on the site needs to be dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet. At this stage, you can additionally add organic fertilizers (rotted compost) or, if the soil is too poor, enrich it with mineral supplements. Also, if necessary, during the digging process, coarse-grained sand can be introduced into the soil, which will improve its water permeability.

The site chosen for spring planting of tulips should be sunny, protected from the wind, with light, nutritious, well-drained soil.

Bulb preparation

It is very important to properly prepare the tulip bulbs that you plan to plant in the spring. You will need to take the following measures:

1. If the planting material has been stored all winter, it should be carefully sorted out and inspected, rejecting those specimens in which the upper cover layer is significantly damaged, and there are also fungus lesions. Such bulbs should not be planted – weak, diseased, poorly flowering plants can grow from them.
2. Next, they should be hardened by placing them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the vegetable compartment and keeping at a temperature of about + 4 ° C for at least 1 night (and preferably longer). This is especially true for purchased planting material, the storage conditions of which are unknown. This procedure will help to strengthen its vitality.
3. In order to protect against diseases and pests, the bulbs should be immersed in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate or a decoction of pharmacy celandine at room temperature. This should be done half an hour before planting tulips in the ground.

Immediately before planting tulip bulbs in the ground, they will need to be carefully freed from a dense integumentary peel. This will help the plants get more nutrients from the soil.

One of the keys to a successful spring planting of tulips is the correct preliminary preparation of the bulbs.

Rules of landing

Spring planting of tulips in an open area is performed as follows:

1. On a dug up and loosened bed, grooves are laid at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other if large bulbs are to be planted, and 10-15 cm if the planting material is small. The depth of the rows also varies. For large bulbs, it will be 10-15 cm, for small bulbs, 5 cm is enough.
2. Water the prepared grooves with water.
3. The bulbs are laid out in rows with sharp ends up, leaving 7-10 cm between them.
4. Sprinkle fertile soil on top, level the surface with a rake and water again.

The approximate planting depth of tulip bulbs depends on their size.

Watering and top dressing

Tulips planted in the spring need regular moderate watering until the end of the flowering period. The earth must not be allowed to dry out. The amount of water should be such that it is enough to penetrate deep into the bulk of the roots (10-40 liters per 1 sq. M beds). It is important to ensure that moisture does not get on the leaves, it can cause burns.

Top dressing, done efficiently and in a timely manner, will also help ensure that tulips that were planted in the spring will give beautiful flowers and form strong bulbs. It should be done three times:

• after germination;
• shortly before the tulips bloom;
• as soon as flowering ends.

The easiest way is to use a ready-made complex fertilizer designed for tulips. But you can make top dressing separately (nitrogen-containing preparations, superphosphate, potassium sulfate).

Rules for caring for tulips after planting in spring

The rules for caring for tulips that you decide to plant in the spring are quite simple:

1. From time to time, it is required to inspect the beds, identifying and removing unsprouted bulbs, as well as young shoots with signs of disease.
2. From the moment the small sprouts appear, the soil around them must be systematically carefully loosened, especially after watering or rain. This will provide better oxygen access to the roots and timely evaporation of excess moisture.
3. Be sure to weed out to prevent the appearance of pests, as well as rid the flowers of “competitors” in the struggle for water and nutrients.
4. During the flowering period, it is important to remove fallen petals from the ground in time to prevent their decay and the risk of spreading infections.
5. Stems of faded tulips planted in the spring should not be cut off immediately after they shed their petals. It is necessary to wait for them to turn completely yellow so as not to harm the ripening bulbs.

Bulbs of large sizes are usually planted one at a time, while small specimens can be placed in one hole for 5-7 pieces

Tips from experienced gardeners

Experienced flower growers are not afraid to plant tulips in the spring and know how to make them bloom in the coming summer. Here are some tips they can give:

• a month before planting in open ground, you can “force out” the bulbs by placing them in a container or box half filled with a nutrient substrate, sprinkle with a 5 cm layer of earth on top and keep indoors in a sunny place;
• large specimens should be planted in open ground one at a time, while small ones can be placed 5-7 pieces in one hole;
• when preparing the bed for planting, in no case should you add fresh manure as a fertilizer – this can contribute to the damage of the planting material by the fungus;
• you can determine how deep to plant tulips by eye: each bulb must be buried in the soil by three of its sizes;
• planting material cannot be pressed into the ground – there is a risk of damaging the emerging root system;
• it is unacceptable to plant tulips in the same area for more than 5 consecutive seasons.

Conclusion

By deciding to plant tulips in the spring in an open area, the gardener may well achieve their flowering this summer. But at the same time, he must take into account that the first buds in the garden will appear much later than if the bulbs were planted in the fall. In addition, this season they are unlikely to please with abundant flowering and quickly fade. When planning to plant tulips in the spring, it is necessary to correctly determine the time when the earth warms up properly: in the Urals, in Siberia and in central Our Country, the optimal time will be different. With proper preparation of planting material, compliance with the rules of agricultural technology and proper care of plants, there can be no doubt that the experience of spring planting these flowers will be successful.