As soon as the cold leaves and warm spring days come, tulips begin to bloom in the yards and gardens, planting and caring for them in the open field is simple and understandable. These flowers are rather unpretentious, but only if you want unusual and large buds to please your eyes, you need to properly care. If you decide to opt for one of the types of tulips, then if you follow all the rules necessary for caring for them, you can achieve their annual bright and unusual flowering.

Description of spring flowers

Tulip (lat. Tulipa) is a perennial bulbous plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. It is popular with gardeners who grow them in home gardens, as well as with professionals involved in breeding an unusual flower in large quantities. There was a tulip from Central Asia. This name is due to its shape, reminiscent of a Persian turban.

You can meet a plant in nature in the steppe, desert, foothills and in mountainous regions with an arid climate. With the onset of warm days, you can enjoy colorful carpets of blooming tulips. As soon as the heat comes, flowering ends, but the bulbs do not disappear, but go deep into the soil. After the onset of autumn, young bulbs begin to form on the bulbs.

Myth or truth: black tulip

The most successful species that has been created is the black tulip. Haarlem tulips first appeared in the middle of the 17th century and had a deep purple color.

Black Tulip

Dane Gert Hagemann was able to breed a completely black tulip for the first time only in February 1986. This is exactly what the director of the Institute of Floristry of the Netherlands told at a press conference.

In order for a rich black tulip to appear in the world of floristry, about 400 thousand dollars and a long 300 years were spent on the experiment.

The numerous varieties of tulips bred, of course, have a more extensive palette of colors. You can find purple, purple, black, red, as well as varieties whose flowers include several colors that perfectly harmonize with each other.

If we consider the varieties according to the shape of the flower, then you can find: cup-shaped, goblet-shaped, lily-shaped, peony-shaped, oval, star-shaped and fringed tulips.

Which bulb to choose when buying

Buy bulbs should be before the planting season. It is worth doing this from the end of July to mid-September. The fact is that it is at this time that the tulip bulbs are at rest. In the spring, you run the risk of buying old planting material, which could not be sold last year. In the fall, finding high-quality bulbs is also not easy, as they are quickly sold out by flower growers.

Consider the main criteria by which you can determine whether the bulb is worth it or not.

If you have a clean, dense bulb in your hands, not empty inside, then it is definitely worth buying, as these are indicators of the best bulb material.

Also pay attention to the bottom of the bulb, in this place root tubercles should already be visible. If the bottom is soft, rotten or with existing roots, then you should not buy it either.

Proper planting of tulips in the fall in the suburbs

Professionals are planting tulips in autumn in the Urals. When exactly it is worth planting depends only on which region you live in, as well as what climate prevails in it.

So, when and how to plant tulips

• If you live in the middle lane, then planting should be done in the last days of September.
• In the event that the region is southern, then the bulbs should be planted in early October, if the temperature does not exceed 7-10 degrees.

How they bloom

Roots will form in about 3-4 weeks, but the weather plays a significant role, which can speed up or slow down this process. Therefore, weather conditions affect when to plant tulip bulbs.

If the bulbs are planted ahead of schedule, rooting will be more difficult or the planting material will be affected by Fusarium. Weeds that appear during warm weather can also cause a problem, because it is they who take all the strength from future tulips.

When you have to plant tulips at a later time, the process may not bring the desired results. Frosts can hit the root system that has not had time to form, which will lead to rotting and death of the bulb. If the plant managed to survive, then bloom and grow, it will be much worse than those tulips that were planted in accordance with all the rules.

Bulbs planted in November should definitely be covered with spruce branches or foliage, which will provide them with a decent winter.

Is it possible to plant tulips in the spring in the garden

Proper planting of tulips in the spring in the Moscow region requires special preparation that will help them take root better. And the main problem will be how to plant tulips in spring so that they bloom.

Remember that you can grow beautiful and strong flowers only from healthy planting materials.

How to choose a place and prepare it

• Tulips do best in areas that receive direct sunlight.
• Shield them from strong gusty winds.
• The site chosen should be level and without groundwater when it comes time to plant the tulips outdoors.
• In order for tulips to grow and develop perfectly, they need a good layer of fertile soil.
• The acidity of loose soil should be moderate and neutral.

Pay attention to what crops grew in your chosen place earlier.

Areas where flowers and vegetables were grown are suitable for planting tulips.

If nightshade and bulbous crops grew in the chosen place, then there is a risk of infection with viral diseases.

What should be the soil

From what land you plant tulips in, it will come from how healthy and beautiful they will grow. For planting, loose, nutrient-rich soil is suitable, which perfectly passes oxygen and air. Tulips will feel good in loamy soils and sandy loam, which are saturated with humus.

The best place where a tulip will land is considered to be land endowed with the following properties:

• It contains quite a large amount of humus.
• It is endowed with a neutral reaction of the environment.
• The site is treated with the necessary preparations that increase its fertility.

If the soil contains a lot of sand, then the moisture in it will not linger for a long time, which means that you will have to water the flowers much more often.

Blooming double tulips

Also, in such areas, as a rule, there are practically no nutrients, so the plant will need frequent fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

If the ground is heavy and contains a lot of clay, then fixing it will be much more difficult than with sandy soil. Before proceeding with the planting of tulips, it is necessary to bring river sand, peat and rotted manure into such a land. Thanks to these components, the earth will conduct moisture much better, and you will avoid stagnant water.

To reduce acidity, you will need chalk or lime. At the moment when the plant is actively growing, the soil must be loosened regularly.

In those areas where tulips will soon be planted, it is necessary to apply organic fertilizers, which can be both rotted manure and compost.

Tulips: planting and care in the open field

In order to grow beautiful flowers, you need to purchase healthy bulbs. Before embarking on planting, be sure to inspect the planting raw materials, which will allow you to identify any disease in advance.

• In the event that the bulbs were grown at home, and not bought in special stores, then place them for half an hour in a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate. Purchased bulbs do not need to be soaked.
• The width of the beds for planting plants should be at least 1-1.2 meters. The furrows where the bulbs will be placed can be both longitudinal and transverse. It doesn't matter what the length of the bed will be.
• Bulbs ready for planting must be carefully pressed into the bottom of the hole. Be extremely careful not to damage the roots. After all the planting material is in the groove, cover it with soil.
• The depth to which the bulbs should be planted depends only on the size of the bulbs you have purchased and what soil they are planted in.
• If the soil is light, then planting tulips should be a little deeper than in heavy soil. The distance between the rows should be at least 20 cm. Place the bulbs in the holes, you need to retreat 10 cm between them.

bicolor tulips

Most gardeners use a metal pipe with a diameter of 5 cm to plant tulip bulbs. It must have a piston that can be fixed. Thanks to this piston, you will be able to push the bulb into the ground. Using this method, you will be able to plant the bulbs at the desired depth, and also protect your hands from the cold.

Another method used for planting bulbs is the use of plastic baskets. Quite a simple and easy way, with which you will never lose the place in which you landed tulips. All that needs to be done is to place the planting material in a basket, which is placed in a place prepared for planting and buried in the ground.

The first tulips break through the soil in late March or early April. In the event that the flowers were covered before the onset of cold weather, then as soon as the snow melts, the mulch should be removed. This will allow the soil to warm up much faster, which means that flowering will begin earlier.

Carefully loosen the soil next to the plants to oxygenate the root system. While the tulips are actively growing and developing, this procedure should be carried out constantly, especially after they have been watered.

In order not to constantly loosen the soil and avoid weed control, the ground should be mulched.

How to plant the right video:

Fertilizers that tulips need:

When using fertilizers, be very careful, as improper use of them can lead to leaf burns. To avoid damage, top dressing should be applied on a cloudy day or at the time of watering the flowers.

Tulips fade pretty quickly, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be cared for. Be sure to keep watering the plants for several weeks. Pinch off faded flowers, which will allow tulips not to waste energy on seeding.

How to prepare for planting in the fall

The removed planting material should be placed in the shade so that they can dry. Place them in boxes in a thin layer and leave them in a room with a temperature of about 20 degrees until the onset of autumn. But remember the room where the planting material will be stored must be perfectly ventilated.

During storage, keep an eye on the bulbs, as they should not rot. If you see signs of decay or any disease, be sure to get rid of the planting material.

How to propagate tulips at home

There are several types of reproduction:

• Seeds.

This process occurs only with the help of a seed box, which appears after flowering. To do this, the bud is not cut off, but allowed to dry completely on the stem, and then the seeds are carefully removed.

As a rule, breeders who are trying to develop new varieties of tulips use this method. It is necessary to sow seeds in greenhouses or open ground, where they will grow for several years. Seeds must be protected from frost. As soon as the bulb is ripe, it must be dug up and placed in a box before the onset of autumn.

Such tulips will be able to please with their inflorescences only after 5-6 years. In addition, the flowers will be small and unattractive, and only after about 8-12 years, you can achieve their decorative effect.

• Reproduction with children.

It is considered an easier way and allows you to grow a young plant identical to its parents. For faster formation of children, after the flowers have formed, be sure to cut them off. Once the time is right and the leaves begin to wilt, dig out the bulb.

Smaller planting material must be separated and planted in a separate place with the onset of autumn. As soon as winter comes, the place where tulips are planted takes cover. It is necessary to grow plants for several years, removing all flowers from the shoots, which will allow the bulb to become larger and stronger for future flowering. With the onset of summer, it is necessary to dig out and carry out a procedure similar to adult plants.

What problems can be encountered in the process of growing tulips

If you take care of them correctly and in time, then you can become the owner of high-quality planting material, as well as beautiful bright flowers that will delight not only with a lovely appearance, but also have amazing aromas.

But if you do not notice the diseases attacking your plant in time or do not take measures so that the moment of meeting with the disease does not come at all, then, unfortunately, the flowers can not only lose their decorative effect, but even die.

In order not to face such an unpleasant situation, you need to know what diseases manifest themselves, and also with what drugs you can cure your pets.

What prophylaxis should be carried out to reduce the risk of infection:

• The site where you will plant the selected variety must fully comply with the requirements that these tulips need.
• Be sure to prepare the soil before planting.
• Do not forget to apply fertilizer and top dressing in a timely manner.
• Growing flowers in one place should not exceed five years.
• Before planting, you need to inspect all the bulbs. Bad, infected and rotten planting material should be removed.
• The density and depth of the grooves where the plants will be planted must also be respected.
• Good care and weed removal.
• Digging up bulbs should be done only at the right time.
• Under no circumstances should bulbs with defects be damaged or planted.
• The container where planting raw materials are stored must be disinfected.
• Getting rid of infected tulips and their bulbs.

Diseases that may be encountered

• Gray rot.

This disease spreads at an incredible speed and completely covers the plant with a brown coating, and soon the foliage becomes gray. In order not to encounter an illness, before planting the bulbs, treat them with 0.2% foundationazole or a saturated solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. If it was not possible to avoid infection, then it is worth treating the tulips with a 0.5% solution of copper oxychloride. After 10 days, you need to re-treat the plant.

• Sclerocial rot.

If this ailment attacked tulips, then its first sign is a white coating, which eventually becomes felt, which leads to rotting of the plant. It is impossible to cure flowers from the disease, therefore, infected plants are removed, and around those that managed to avoid the disease, the earth is dug in, into which thiazon is added.

• Fusarium rot.

Plants affected by this disease have pale flowers that wilt as soon as they are cut. The root system is dying. To prevent infection, it is necessary to carefully examine the bulbs before planting them. They also need to be soaked in a 0.2% benlate solution.

Pests

Of the pests, the most frequent will be mice, which are not averse to eating delicious nodules. To prevent the attack of mice, you can plant daffodils or hazel grouse with tulips, their bulbs are poisonous to rodents. You can also sprinkle onions with red pepper, or dip in kerosene, these products will also help.

You can’t avoid the attack of the bear and snails, they can be collected in impromptu traps (rags, pieces of wood or slate, cans of water where they will crawl).

Onion mite, another malicious pest. For prevention, the bulbs are placed in warm water at about 40 ° C. If mites are found in the process of growth, special means must be used.

How to store tulips

After the onions have been removed from the ground, they must be carefully examined and sorted. All rotten and damaged planting material should be removed to the side, separate small bulbs from larger ones. You can put them in boxes or hang them in a net to keep them out of rodents. For about a month they must be kept in a room with a temperature of about +22 degrees so that the sprout can develop. After a while, transfer the bulbs to a room where the temperature will not exceed +17 degrees, where they will be stored until autumn.

landscape use

Almost the first spring flowers that delight us are tender sprouts of tulips. They represent the freshness of spring, bright colors and the upcoming warm sunny days. Tulips bloom immediately after the primroses, replacing them.

Landscaping solutions can be simple or complex, with steep transitions from one plant to another, or massive "carpet" covering large areas of the same color.

Often planted at the foot of trees, which creates bright spots on dark ground. It is better to do this in special containers in order to remove the bulbs for the summer. An excellent decorative solution would be to plant near, which blooms in the middle of summer.

The costs are relatively small, as is the complexity of planting. It is enough to follow some measures for proper care and cultivation in open ground.

Planting tulips stands next to gazebos, shrubs, for example, and paths. They will look great in group plantings on the lawn. Such beautiful flowers can be planted in combinations with other plants, as their various chic colors will be ideally combined in any combination.

Also, the most commonly grown tulip is near multi-storey buildings or in city flower beds. The most suitable for them will be the south side. Also, before planting, it should be borne in mind that numerous precipitation will drain from the roof, which can lead to stagnation of water in the area where tulips grow. Therefore, it is worth making a good drainage outlet.

Tulips have faded, what to do video:

Tulip ( Tulipa) is a perennial flowering plant, belongs to the flowering department, the monocotyledonous class, the lily-colored order, the lily family, the tulip genus.

Where did the word "tulip" come from?

In European languages, the name of the tulip flower came from the Ottoman-Persian dictionary. The word "tülbend" meant a fabric for a national headdress. Later, this concept began to correspond not only to the material from which it was made, but also to the turban itself, which had an outward resemblance to a flower. Probably, the borrowing occurred almost simultaneously in the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, so the Italian "tulipano", the Polish "tulipan", as well as the German "tulpe" and the Dutch "tulp" that have lost the "an" ending, have a common root. The word tulip entered the Russian language as a free reading of the Polish name of the plant.

Tulip - description, characteristics of the flower, photos

Tulips are herbaceous plants that have a very short growing season. In the morphological structure of the tulip stand out:

ovoid or pear shaped. On top of the bulb covers the covering scales. In the appearance of the bulb, a flattened bottom and a pointed top are clearly visible. The size of the tulip bulb, the color and shape of the scales differ depending on the species. Inside it are special scales that supply the plant with nutrients. After the depletion of all reserves, the tulip bulb dies off, and several new ones appear in its place. The life of the bulb in natural conditions does not exceed 2 years.

located on the bottom of the bulb. At the young seedling stage, the plant has one main root, which dies off after the first growing season. Subsequently, the tulip annually grows a new root system, consisting of many filamentous roots.

• Stolon

which is a kind of underground stem of a plant. With the help of it, the annual vegetative reproduction of tulip bulbs takes place. The stolon serves to deepen the bulb bud into the ground, as well as to protect and nourish it.

• Fruiting erect tulip stem

cylindrical shape, on which are located from 1 to 9-12 leaves. At the end of the season, the stem dies off. The height of the tulip stem depends on the type and variety of the plant and can be from 15 to 70 cm.

which have an elongated pointed or elongated oval shape. They are located directly on the stem, tightly clasping it. Some species have comb-like outgrowths on the leaf surface.

• tulip flowers

which consist of three inner and three outer petals. Hybrid tulip species may have more petals. Usually one bud is formed on one plant, although there are types of tulips that are characterized by the development of several buds. The shape of a tulip flower can be oval, star-shaped, cupped, double, goblet or fringed, and the color of a tulip can be solid, mixed or two-tone. The color of tulips depends on the combinations of anthocyanins, carotenoids and flavonols - natural dyes. In healthy plants, the inflorescences are directed strictly upwards, although some varieties of tulips have drooping flower stalks.

• tulip fruit

which is a rounded box of triangular shape. Inside it are triangular or ovoid tulip seeds, which, after ripening, fall to the ground and are carried by the wind.

Types and varieties of tulips, names and photos

A strict and clear classification of species belonging to the genus Tulip still does not exist. Most known systems are complex, confusing, and constantly changing. The horticultural classification is considered the most successful today, dividing all 113 types of tulips and their countless hybrids into 4 main groups according to flowering time.

Early varieties of tulips (early flowering): names and photos

This group includes 2 classes of plants:

• Tulips simple early
  

Represented by flowers with small bulbs and a peduncle height of up to 30 cm. The flowering period begins from the end of March. A prominent representative of this class is tulip variety Duc van Tol (Duc van Tol)- a small plant with a peduncle height of up to 15-20 cm. The color of tulips is red with a yellow border, but there are subspecies with yellow, pink and purple buds.

The most popular variety of tulips Candy Prince (Candy Prince) with purple petals. The height of the peduncle is 30-50 cm.

Begins to bloom in May.

• Tulips terry early
  

In appearance, early tulips are similar to the previous class, but differ in that they have characteristic double flowers, which in the open state reach a size of about 8 cm. The height of the peduncles does not exceed 20-25 cm. Interesting varieties of double tulips are:

• • Tulip Monte Carlo

a plant with large yellow terry buds, the size of which reaches 10 cm. The height of a strong ground stem is about 20 cm.

• • Tulip Abba (Abba)

the shortest tulip among all species, only 10 cm high and with beautiful red flowers. The flowering period lasts more than 15 days.

Mid-early (mid-flowering) varieties of tulips: description and photo

The group consists of 2 classes:

• Tulips Triumph
  

A characteristic feature of this class are plants with a strong stem height of 40 to 70 cm and large goblet-shaped flowers. The flowering period lasts from mid-April to early May.

One of the representatives of the Triumph class is the variety Blenda Flame (Blenda Flames. The color of tulips is milky with red-pink feathers, the shape of the flower is large goblet. The height of the peduncle ranges from 40 to 60 cm.

• Tulips Darwin hybrids
  

These are plants with a stem height of up to 60-80 cm and large cup-shaped or goblet-shaped flowers, the size of tulips can reach 20 cm. They bloom from mid-April to early May.

One of the brightest varieties included in this class is the tulip. Blushing Apeldoorn (Blushing Apeldoorn). The height of the stem does not exceed 65 cm, and the diameter of the bud is about 4 cm. The flower is colored orange-yellow.

Late varieties of tulips: description and photo

The group consists of 6 classes:

• simple late tulips
  

A characteristic feature of simple late tulips is the base of the flowers, which has a rounded square shape. Late tulips begin to bloom in May to early June. The height of the stem reaches 75 cm. The color of the buds of simple late tulips has a wide range of colors. Among the representatives of the class there are multi-flowered varieties, one of which is the tulip variety Red Georgette (Red Georgette) having up to 5 garnet-red goblet-shaped flowers on the stem. Peduncle height up to 60 cm.

• lily-colored tulips
  

They are characterized by a special shape of buds with long, pointed and curved petals. The height of the stem of a lily-colored tulip ranges from 50 to 60 cm. Among the varieties included in the class, one can distinguish a tulip Ballad with magnificent goblet flowers of light purple color with a white border. Peduncle does not exceed 55 cm.

• fringed tulips
  

A distinctive feature of this class is the presence of a thin fringe on the petals. The shape of the fringed tulip bud can resemble a flower or be goblet. The height of the stem reaches 80 cm. One of the tulips included in the Fringed class is the tulip Huis Ten Bosch. Its flower has a goblet shape, and the color of tulips is pink, with a large and dense fringe of the same color and a white bottom. The height of the stem does not exceed 55 cm.

• green-flowered tulips
  

The name of the class green-flowered tulips was given by the peculiar outer color of the petals, in which there are areas of green. The height of the peduncle is average and ranges from 40 to 60 cm. The tulip is rightfully considered the original variety included in this class. China Town. The color of its cupped bud is white-green, but as it blooms, it becomes pink. The height of the stem of the plant barely reaches 40 cm.

• parrot tulips
  

A distinctive feature of the flowers included in the class of parrot tulips are multi-colored wavy petals, on which greenish spots are visible. The diameter of a wide-open tulip bud can reach 20 cm, and the height of the stem can be from 40 to 65 cm. Epricot Parrot (Apricot Parrot) with coral-cream goblet-shaped flowers and up to 8 cm in diameter.

• Terry late tulips
  

Late double tulips are sometimes called peony or full. Peduncles are quite high and can reach 60 cm. The color of the buds of this type of tulips is both monophonic and two-colored. One of the most beautiful varieties is the tulip. Blue Diamond (BlueDimmond) with large flowers of juicy purple color and stem height up to 45 cm.

Other types of tulips: varieties and photos

This group includes 3 classes:

• Tulips Kaufman
  

Kaufman's tulips are the very first to appear at the end of March and have decorative leaves with brown stripes. The height of the stem ranges from 8 to 32 cm. The flowers look like glasses or bowls, and when opened they resemble a star. The color of tulips can be either monochrome or two-tone. There are many different hybrids and varieties.

• Foster Tulips
  

For various varieties and hybrids of Foster tulips, rather short stems and very large flowers in the form of a double thicket and up to 18 cm in size are characteristic. Tulips bloom in early April. The leaves of the plants are fleshy, with strokes of purple.

• Tulips Greig
  

For these flowers, a characteristic difference is the dark red patterns created by strokes and spots on the surface of the leaves. Greig's tulip bud is elongated, with sharp petals, painted in red, orange and beige tones. The height of the stem does not exceed 30 cm. This group includes the tulip with the largest flower - this is Greig's tulip Orange Giant Sunset.

Where do tulips grow?

In nature, tulips grow in the Central Asian region, which includes countries such as Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, India, Nepal and China, as well as Mediterranean countries: Spain and Morocco, Italy and the Netherlands. Tulips are common on the Balkan Peninsula and in the rather harsh nature of the Scandinavian countries. Many species and cultivars grow in city flowerbeds and in private household plots in the states of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. These flowers easily withstand the climatic conditions of mountainous, desert and steppe regions, dry summers and harsh winters.

Tulips - outdoor cultivation

Choosing planting material: what to look for

When buying tulip bulbs, you should pay attention to their size. You should not choose large planting material: most likely, it is old and will not delight you with abundant flowering. It is recommended to choose medium-sized bulbs with a smooth, shiny, scaly coating. Please note that there are no cracks on their surface - infections are transmitted through them and pests penetrate.

Pay attention to the color of the bulbs when buying

The color of the planting material should be a golden tea color. The dark brown scales indicate that it was dug out of the soil late and may be damaged.

In a healthy bulb, the tip of the stem is slightly visible; but do not purchase if it has sprouted during storage. The bottom and tubercles of the roots should be dry and dense. To the touch, a healthy bulb is dense, without a feeling of wateriness or overdryness.

Preparation and planting of tulips in open ground

The key to the good development of tulips is a correctly chosen and well-prepared place for a flower garden, as well as compliance with the timing of planting bulbs.

How to choose a seat

Tulips feel very good, which are grown in a sunny and wind-protected flower bed. This may be an area under the crowns of trees - since the flowers bloom earlier than the leaves on the branches, the shade from them will not hurt.

Change the location of the flower garden for bulbs

Tulips should not be planted where bulbs were previously grown. The earth should "rest" from tulips for at least three years.

soil for tulips

The soil for successful flowering of tulips should be light, breathable. In a soil rich in loam, sand should be added at the rate of 2 buckets per 1 sq. m ridge.

If the site has a high level of groundwater, which is detrimental to flower bulbs, you should "raise" the flower bed (make it loose and increase the soil layer) for tulips, or organize high-quality drainage under the flower bed. To protect against high humidity, leaching nutrients and fertilizers from the soil, as well as for the convenience of moving to storage, flowers are planted in a special container - plastic modules.

Flower bed preparation

Before planting tulips, they dig up the ground, removing weeds and plant roots. Further, planting furrows are carried out, with a depth equal to three sizes of the bulbs.

The bottom of the furrow is covered with a thin layer of river sand, on which the bulbs are placed at a distance of 10 cm from each other.

Do not bury bulbs when planting

The main mistake gardeners make when planting tulips is deepening the bulbs. Usually they are pressed into the ground with their hands, but this cannot be done. The bulbs laid in the furrows are carefully sprinkled with earth and watered with the addition of a few crystals of potassium permanganate for disinfection.

Terms of planting tulips in open ground

The beginning or middle of autumn is the period that is best for planting tulips, when the temperature outside drops to 8-10 degrees Celsius. Planting in warmer soil leads to poor development of the root system, and the bulbs are at risk of Fusarium disease. Tulips planted in frost conditions do not have time to take root before the onset of frost and may die.

Feeding and caring for tulips

Tulips, planting and caring for which will not cause much trouble, will delight you with bright and beautiful flowering if you fertilize them in a timely manner.

First dressing of tulips

The first fertilizer is applied immediately after the appearance of green sprouts. It is prepared by mixing 30 grams of nitrogen, 30 grams of phosphorus and 20 grams of potassium fertilizers per 10 liters of water. Plantings are watered abundantly with this composition.

Second top dressing

It is carried out before the flowering of tulips, when greenish flower buds are formed. Feed composition: 20 grams of nitrogen, 20 grams of potash, 30 grams of phosphate fertilizers per bucket of water.

Third top dressing

Needed after flowering to replenish nutrients: 30 grams of phosphorus and 20 grams of potash fertilizers per bucket of water.

Tulips: care after flowering in the open field

After flowering, it is necessary to remove the seed box so that the plant does not waste energy on seed maturation, but stores them in the bulb for the next season. After the leaves begin to turn yellow, and the stem loses its elasticity and becomes soft, you can begin to dig up the bulbs.

How often to transplant tulips to a new place

The frequency of transplanting tulips to a new place, each gardener determines for himself. You can dig up bulbs annually, or do it at intervals of 2-3 years. It should be borne in mind that in the absence of a transplant, the flowers begin to grow worse and become smaller, as the nutrient content in the soil decreases. That is why valuable varietal specimens are recommended to be transplanted annually.

What to do with bulbs after digging

The dug bulbs are washed in water and soaked for half an hour in a fungicide solution. In large bulbs, children are separated if they have not disintegrated themselves. Then the planting material must be dried in the shade for several days, spreading rags. After drying, the bulbs are stored in baskets or boxes and stored in a cool room until autumn planting.

The main diseases and pests of tulips

Tulip diseases are spread with infected seed or bulbs. So choose carefully before buying.

Gray rot (lat. Botrytis tulipae)

It occurs in plants grown in soils with an excess of moisture. It can spread in rainy summers, or with excessive watering. The growth of the flower slows down, its green parts become soft and watery.

Affected bulbs and flowers must be destroyed and not treated. For prevention purposes, the soil is powdered with sulfur before planting, and after planting, it is sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Root rot (lat. Ruthium)

Signs of the disease are easily confused with symptoms of insufficient watering: the green mass of the flower fades, becomes yellow or brown. Brown spots appear on the bulbs, it becomes soft to the touch and smells unpleasant.

Moisture stagnation caused by poor drainage may be the cause. A diseased plant must be destroyed. For prevention purposes, they increase the aeration and water permeability of the soil during planting, mixing it with sand and draining it, or organize raised ridges.

Variegation of tulips

A dangerous disease that causes the tobacco mosaic virus (lat. Tobacco mosaic virus). It is transmitted through planting material, pruning tools, as well as mites and other sucking insects.

On the painted flower petals, light strokes appear in chaotic directions, the shape of the flower may be distorted. Signs are poorly visible on light varieties of tulips.

Prevention of the disease is difficult due to the long latent period of the disease, which can develop within a few years after infection. Prevention: treatment of plants with drugs from sucking pests; disinfection of bulbs before planting; sparse landing and constant inspection to detect signs of disease.

Infected plants should be removed from the flower bed by carefully pulling them out with their roots. The soil is first loosened around the bulb so that part of the roots does not remain in the ground and does not cause the spread of the disease.

Tulips: cultivation and care in Siberia, beyond the Urals, in the North

In the northern regions of Russia, it is quite possible to grow tulips, the care of which contains some features associated with climatic conditions.

Due to early autumn frosts, bulbs should be planted no later than the second decade of September, at a temperature not lower than minus 2-3 degrees Celsius. The depth of the trench for planting bulbs, regardless of their size, should be approximately 25 cm.

If the depth is less, the rhizomes may freeze out, and with a deeper planting, the plants will take a lot of energy to germinate and the tulip will bloom poorly. After placing the planting material, the ridge should be sprinkled with mature compost. It is recommended to collect the first snow from the surrounding area in a flower bed for additional protection from frost.

In the spring, during flowering, snowfalls and frosts are also possible, so the longer the snow lies on the flower beds, the better. To hold it, instead of compost, you can use the tops of vegetables, straw, hay for snow retention.

In conditions of unstable summers and harsh winters, tulips bloom well, which are transplanted annually. Otherwise, the bulbs shrink, are affected by pests and may die.

The following varieties of tulips are well suited for cold regions: Bonanza, Dante, Brilliant Star, Christmas Marvel, Brilliant Star.

Outcome

Gorgeous bright tulips will decorate your garden in early spring, when the rest of nature is just waking up. You just need to take care of planting the bulbs in the fall and take care of the plants in a timely manner - then you will not have trouble with tulips, except for admiring the colorful buds.

Tulip fever, which began in Holland half a millennium ago and captured the whole world, continues today. There is not a single florist or gardener who would not dream of expanding his collection of tulip varieties and who would not be familiar with this special bulbous star. Tulips do not need to be introduced, but the nuances of this in their cultivation do not become less, as well as the options for using them in garden design.

Growing tulips. © John Markowski

A simple portrait of an uneasy tulip

Representing the Liliaceae family, tulips are without exaggeration the most popular and common bulbs. No less can they be called the most diverse, because the number of varieties and varieties of tulips is measured not in hundreds, but in tens of thousands, and the choice in shape, structure, and color of flowers increases from year to year. And although it is not easy to understand the classification of tulips, it is impossible to confuse tulips with other bulbs.

Representatives of the genus Tulip are bulbous perennials with a modified stem. All organs of the plant are laid in a pear-shaped or ovoid bulb. Generations of bulbs change annually: during the growing season, young bulbs are laid, and the faded ones die off. The rudiments of peduncles and flowers develop in the bulbs during the summer dormant period. In autumn, the bulbs take root, the process of laying the peduncle is completed, and after wintering, active growth and flowering occurs, and the cycle repeats again.

The development of tulips is happening so rapidly that one cannot help but be surprised at the shortened, but amazingly active vegetation of this bulbous. Not only leaves and flower stalks develop rapidly in tulips, but also the bulb, roots, daughter bulbs. On average, in regions with severe winters, the entire growing season of tulips covers only 3 months from the formation of leaves to flowering and the formation of replacement bulbs. In a period of such active development, both conditions and care are very important for tulips, which should compensate for any vagaries of the weather.

Tulip bulbs consist of a bottom and from one to six storage scales covered with protective integumentary scales. Bulbs produce underground stolons, leaves and strong, succulent flower stalks. Each bulb hides the buds embedded in it, from which new bulbs are formed - the central (replacement bulb), child bulbs (from the buds hidden in the axils of the storage scales) and the children that develop in the axils of the covering scales.

The height of tulip flower stalks ranges from less than 30 cm to more than half a meter. The leaves are fleshy, clasping the stem, elongated-oval, entire, rather rigid, smaller from the lower leaf to the uppermost. Up to 5 leaves sit on one stem, although often tulips are limited to only two leaves.

Tulips most often produce single flowers, in the structure of which five concentric circles can be distinguished, subject to three-beam or triangular symmetry. They are easy to identify by the six-membered perianth: the flower always consists of six petals or equal to six of the number of shares in simple tulips. Distinctive features of tulips are also six stamens, also arranged in two circles, and a three-lobed stigma of a pistil. The flowers themselves of this bulbous are amazingly diverse - from simple to double, goblet, lily-colored, cup-shaped, oval and even star-shaped - to parrot and fantasy forms.

The colors are no less varied. Tulips are plain and multi-color, pastel and bright, exotic and classic. White, pink, red, purple, yellow, orange are not the only options. The color range of tulips includes both blue and blue, and shades of green, and natural colors closest to black.

The flowering period of tulips starts from the first early varieties in April and ends only in June. Despite the extremely limited flowering period of each individual plant, the selection of tulip varieties allows you to stretch the parade of this bulbous star for almost 3 months. After flowering, dense fruit boxes ripen.

The variety of tulips is simply unimaginable. More than 100 natural species, the crossing of which gave rise to more than 17 thousand registered varieties, which in turn are divided into classes, groups, subclasses, categories ... Most of the tulips are derived from botanical plant species from the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Traditionally, the market is dominated by Dutch-selected tulips, but dozens of new varieties appear in many garden centers around the world almost every year.

The only correct criterion for choosing tulips is the purchase of plants according to your tastes and preferences, the choice is primarily based on aesthetic characteristics. After all, tulips really allow everyone to choose plants to their liking, making the collection as individual and bright as possible.

Growing tulips. © dutchgrown

The use of tulips in the design of the garden

Tulips are spring-blooming stars that have long become indispensable for decorating any garden. They are collected, used as small seasonal accents or turned into the main star of the spring garden. And they are grown only in groups, since it is easy for single plants to get lost.

Tulips are placed in islands, spots, strict "pockets" in shape. If the plants are planted separately, they are placed so that later it is easy to fill the area with annual stars, most often with the strict contours of a tulip area. On flower beds and in complex compositions, landing in strict forms or lines is inferior in popularity to the placement of these bulbs in irregular groups - from small “spots” of 5-7 bulbs to larger islands.

Tulips in the garden can be used:

• in flower beds and front flower beds;
• in discounts;
• in spring spots and islands on the lawn, under bushes and trees;
• in borders and ribbon flower beds;
• in flowerbeds from annuals;
• in rock gardens and rockeries;
• in potted gardens, containers, flower beds both in the garden and on balconies, terraces, in room culture.

Tulips are a valuable cut crop. They are driven out especially for the holidays and early spring, they are used for complex arrangements and simple bouquets.

Selection of partners for tulips

The status of one of the most common plants leaves its mark on the choice of partners: these bulbous - luxurious blooming spring accents, medium-sized but stunningly beautiful stars that should always remain in the foreground. Tulips do not need to be matched with partners to reveal their beauty, they are well combined with garden plants that can grow in similar conditions - from shrubs and woody to herbaceous perennials, other bulbous and tuberous plants, perennials and seasonal stars. If tulips are introduced into flower beds, then they are combined with plants that can fill the voids and then hide their fading greens.

The best partners for tulips from among herbaceous perennials are hosts, phloxes, astilbes, garden geraniums, daylilies, cuffs, tenacity, arabis, obrieta. Among spring-flowering plants, tulips are most often combined with daffodils, forget-me-nots, violets, muscari and primroses, but tulips with hyacinths, anemones, hellebore set off the beauty of each other no worse.

Species and varietal tulips - plants are different in terms of decorativeness, size, variability, flower colors, and in their endurance and unpretentiousness. Species tulips, with rare exceptions, are plants that can be "planted and forgotten." Their agricultural technology is much simpler and deserves separate consideration. Varietal tulips are less resistant, most fully reveal the beauty of flowering during annual digging, vulnerable to diseases and pests. Growing varietal tulips is not such a difficult task. But in the care of the plant there are many important nuances that you should never forget.

Conditions necessary for tulips

Bulb favorites can only be called undemanding plants conditionally: tulips bloom and grow only in favorable conditions, both lighting and soil characteristics are important for them.

Tulips are photophilous crops that are planted in sunny places or in diffusely bright light. The later the tulip variety blooms, the better it tolerates light shading, but for varietal tulips, a sunny location is still more preferable. Tulips are not afraid of the neighborhood of large shrubs or trees, if the leaves of the latter bloom late and the bulbs do not suffer from strong shading during flowering.

Only high-quality, deeply worked garden soils are suitable for tulips. This bulbous is grown in sandy loams and loams, loose, drained, light and nutritious soils. The reaction of the soil for tulips is very important: this bulb does not tolerate an acidic environment, it is planted only in neutral or slightly alkaline soils. Before planting, the soil is adjusted to the optimum texture and composition. Tulips do not tolerate fresh organic matter.

Sites for growing tulips should be flat or with a slight slope, warm, well warmed up. Plants are better protected not only from the risk of stagnant water, but also from drafts or winds.

When choosing a place for growing tulips, it should be taken into account that when grown for five years in a row in the same place, the risks of plant infection with pests and diseases increase. Tulips are not planted after daffodils, lilies and other bulbs, often affected by the same viruses and diseases.

planting tulips

Preparation for planting tulips is best done in advance. Any organic fertilizers, except for compost and humus, should be applied to the soil only a few years before planting, preferably under the previous crop. Preplant soil improvement comes down to several procedures:

• deep digging (at least 30 cm, with a sample of weed roots);
• correction of the composition of sandy and clay soils;
• the introduction of humus or compost (2 buckets per square meter), wood ash (1 glass per square meter) and mineral fertilizers.

When improving the soil, a standard (40-60 g) portion of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is added to it. can be poured into the bottom of the planting holes or mixed with the soil. Nitrogen fertilizers are best applied immediately before planting. If mineral fertilizers were not applied to the soil in advance, then full mineral fertilizers are used before planting in the proportion of 100 g per square meter of soil.

Preparation of the landing site is carried out at least a month before planting tulips. If the risk of stagnant water is increased on the site or groundwater is high, then a high layer of drainage must be laid under the entire bed.

Tulips are planted from the third decade of August to the first decade of October. September is traditionally called the "tulip" month, but if the weather is favorable, then the timing of planting tulips can be stretched. For the middle lane, you can focus on temperature: tulips are planted when the soil temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius at a depth of 10 cm. Late planting dates are determined so that the bulb has 20-30 days left before stable frosts for their high-quality rooting.

Before proceeding with planting in the soil, all bulbs must be carefully re-examined. Any deviations in appearance, signs of damage or decay serve as the basis for culling. Particular attention should be paid to traces of viral lesions and bulb mites.

It is advisable to plant bulbs sorted by size separately, without mixing them together. Large and small bulbs are planted together only if they are not planned to be dug up annually.

The bulbs are also treated with fungicide solutions before planting (the classic version is a solution of potassium permanganate with a concentration of 0.5%). Etching is carried out for half an hour or an hour. Bulbs are planted without drying.

Tulips are planted depending on how large the group will be and what is the role of tulips in flower beds. If tulips are planted in a small spot or island, then planting can be carried out in a large common shallow planting hole. When landing on a large area, landing is carried out in trenches. The depth of the pits or trenches for planting tulips is about 20 cm.

The distance between the bulbs when planting tulips depends on their size, and on whether they plan to dig up the plants annually. If tulips are constantly planted and dug up, then the plants can be placed compactly to achieve a decorative effect or at an optimal density of 10-15 cm. When planting with a rarer digging, the minimum distance between large bulbs is about 20 cm. 15 cm. The optimal planting density is 50 large and up to 100 small tulip bulbs per square meter of plantings.

If the tulip bulbs are the same size, then planting is carried out in one step. If large and small bulbs are planted on the same site, then at the beginning they install (for planting) larger bulbs, lightly cover them with earth, and then lay smaller bulbs between them. There can be 2 or 3 such "floors" when planting tulips.

Tulip bulbs are always set strictly horizontally, bottom down. Planting depth ranges from 10 to 15 cm, but it is best to always use the universal rule and leave the distance between the bottom of the bulb and the soil surface at 3 bulb heights in light and loose soils and 2 bulb heights in heavy and dense soils. Such a guide will allow you to find the optimal depth individually for each tulip. The maximum depth for tulips is limited to 20 cm. Small bulbs can be sown, large and medium ones are always set individually. When planting tulips, you need to act carefully and minimize the pressure on your bulb: indentation, application of effort, especially after pickling in fungicide solutions, leads to injuries to the root rudiments and even the bottom of the bulb. Tulips are carefully laid, effortlessly fill the planting holes with soil and compact it by watering, and not by tamping.

After planting, tulips are prepared for winter in the same way as plants that have not been dug out of the soil, according to general rules.

Planting tulips in containers and various containers is carried out at the same time as in the soil. Plants are planted in autumn in a high-quality, loose, nutritious substrate at an optimal depth, most often in tiers with smaller bulbous crops. Drainage is required. Bulbs in containers are stored in a cool and dark room or with careful cover in the garden. Exposed to the light and in the heat of the container only after the appearance of the first sprouts.

Planting tulip bulbs. © gardenerdy

Tulip moisture requirements and watering

Like all bulbs, tulips cannot stand dampness and waterlogging. But it is difficult to call them drought-resistant crops. During the active period of development and maturation of the bulb, tulips need stable light soil moisture, because their extremely rapid development, structural features of the root system require a large supply of moisture and really regular watering.

In the spring, before budding begins, watering for the plant is carried out only in dry weather. Systemic watering for tulips begins only from the budding stage. The classic frequency for a tulip is considered to be 1 abundant watering per week (from 10 to 40 liters of water per square meter of plantings), but you should always focus on the condition of the soil at the depth of the roots. Watering is completed not immediately after flowering, but after two weeks, so that the plants do not experience problems with access to moisture during the formation of the replacement bulb.

When watering tulips, it is worth making sure not to soak the leaves of the plant, to carry out watering in the aisles. Tulips are watered in the early morning or evening according to standard rules, not with cold water.

Feeding for tulips

It is impossible to grow varietal tulips without fertilizing. In order to admire the luxurious flowers that fully reveal the beauty of each variety, it is necessary to create conditions in which the plants will not lack nutrients. But at the same time, tulips do not like excess fertilizers, accumulation of salts in the soil. The "golden mean" in top dressing for these bulbs helps to find systemic, but moderate procedures.

Tulips prefer easily digestible fertilizers dissolved in water. It is possible to scatter mineral fertilizers on the soil, but only in combination with abundant watering and eliminating the risk of any particles of fertilizer getting on the leaves, which should be dry, so you need to work very carefully).

Top dressing for tulips is applied several times per season:

In early spring

The first top dressing for tulips is carried out as early as possible, applying fertilizer in the snow or immediately after it disappears. For early spring top dressing, a half-reduced portion of complete mineral fertilizers is used (15-30 g per square meter of plantings). Instead of universal fertilizers, you can use special mixtures for bulbs or tulips, a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers in a ratio of 2: 2: 1 in an amount of 40-45 g.

At the stage of budding

The second dressing for tulips is applied at the stage of formation of the flower stem and bud, supporting their normal development. For this top dressing, you can use only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (25-35 g) or a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers with a different ratio - 1:2:2.

After flowering

This top dressing is carried out to support the development of the daughter bulb and the optimal maturation of the bulbs for the winter. It is advisable to carry out top dressing exactly one week after the flowering of the plants, but it can also be applied at the peak or at the end of flowering. For the third top dressing, only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used in the amount of 30-35 g per square meter of soil.

For small tulips and growing bulbs, it is better to limit yourself to only two top dressings - spring and at the budding stage.

Tulips prefer ammonium nitrate, double and potassium nitrate, complex preparations for bulbs, containing not only macro-, but also microelements (boron, zinc are especially important for tulips).

Tulips, like many other bulbs, themselves signal improper feeding and nutrient needs. All three macronutrients are equally important for these bulbs. Therefore, it is impossible to reduce or eliminate nitrogen to obtain better flowering in these bulbs. With a lack of nitrogen, the tulips become smaller, become narrower and droop, the leaf plates lose their elasticity, the flower stalks turn red, and the bulb replacement process is disrupted. With a lack of potassium or phosphorus, tulips also signal this with their leaves, along the edges of which a bluish color appears, flowering and the root system suffer. If you take action in time and carry out additional feeding, you can prevent these problems in the development of plants and prevent the lack of certain nutrients from affecting flowering and reproduction.

Sprouted tulip bulbs. © vicuschka

Clippings on tulips

Tulips develop rapidly, but with the completion of flowering they also quickly lose their decorative effect. Withering yellowing foliage will not decorate any composition, even in a natural style. But, like all bulbs, the leaves of tulips cannot be cut off, removed until they die off on their own, because otherwise the process of storing nutrients and ripening of the bulbs will be disrupted.

In the cultivation of varietal tulips, fruiting limitation plays a very important role. The formation of a seed box in tulips most often leads to the fact that a full-fledged replacement bulb is not formed, the plant “breaks up” into a nest of very small bulbs that can fully bloom only after a few years. So that the tulips do not shrink, the varieties should not be allowed to bear fruit, removing wilted flowers in a timely manner after the petals begin to wither.

Trimming tulip flowers is not as easy as it seems:

Cut for bouquets

It is carried out in the early morning, in a state of tightly closed buds, cutting off the stem at an angle. For bouquets, it is preferable to cut buds that have just begun to color. Store tulips in cool and partial shade, renew sections under water before planting plants in water.

Cut fading flowers

It is better to carry out it immediately after the petals begin to wither and without waiting for complete wilting. Unlike cutting into bouquets, it is better not to cut wilted flowers with a sharp knife, but to carefully pick them off with your hands.

Decapitation

Removing buds and preventing tulips from blooming allows you to grow small bulbs or propagate rare varieties more efficiently, stimulating the growth of roots and daughter bulbs. It is impossible to remove flowers too early: decapitation is carried out a few days after the opening of the bud.

With any cut of flower stalks, leaves should not be removed. At least two leaves should remain on the stem for the full ripening of the bulbs and the laying of a flower bud.

Additional care for tulips

The following procedures also belong to the important components of caring for tulips:

Soil loosening

From the first loosening procedures after the snow has melted and the first shoots appear to the procedures after each heavy watering or rain, regular loosening allows you to maintain an optimal environment for tulips, maintain water and air permeability of the soil. For tulips, the formation of a soil crust should not be allowed, but the loosening itself must be carried out carefully, trying not to work in the immediate vicinity of the bulb.

weeding tulips

The structural features of tulips require constant weed control. After all, they do not create such a number of leaves that would oppress weeds or hide empty soil between plants. Weeds need to be weeded often, destroying them at a young age, combining weeding with the loosening procedure. For large plantings, special herbicides can be used, but it is better to limit yourself to conventional mechanical weeding.

Monitoring the development of tulips

Tulips need attention, and it doesn't always have to show up in standard routines. These bulbs need to be monitored for the first signs of developmental disorders, health problems or uncomfortable conditions. Regular inspection of leaves, flowers, peduncles will prevent any troubles at a very early stage.

The most important procedure in monitoring tulip plantings is considered to be spring. After the plants begin to actively develop, they need to be monitored. Usually, the first assessment is made as soon as the soil has warmed up and the first shoots have appeared, noting signs of stunting and removing plants that do not germinate. At the slightest sign of damage to plants by diseases, such specimens are immediately destroyed and removed not only along with the roots, but also along with a fairly large earthen clod. After removing the diseased tulips, the soil is treated with a fungicide, at least with a solution of simple potassium permanganate to prevent the spread of diseases.

Inspections continue throughout the active growing season and flowering. Specimens affected by viruses and diseases are carefully removed, trying not to damage neighboring plants. A particularly careful assessment is always carried out after flowering. But if you collect tulips and carefully control their varietal affiliation, then varietal cleaning should be carried out at the height of flowering, noting dubious specimens and impurities, in order to separate the plants and restore varietal purity.

Any parts of tulips dug out due to suspected infection, as well as dry parts of plants, are not sent to compost, but destroyed.

Pruning peduncles and leaves of a tulip. © India

Digging up tulips and keeping them out of the soil

Any varietal tulips allow you to get a "guaranteed" luxurious flowering only with annual digging. Particularly capricious are varieties with unusual colors and flower shapes. Older varieties of tulips, as well as plants with "regular" flowers, can be grown not with an annual, but with a slightly more rare digging. But still, less than once every 2-4 years, it is not advisable to dig up tulips. If tulips do not plan to dig in the summer, then top dressing and planting depth are of particular importance for them.

Digging up tulips is carried out when their leaves begin to turn yellow, but the tulips have not yet completely disappeared. Usually the simplest guidelines for digging are:

• the elasticity of the stem (it becomes soft and wraps around the finger);
• the color of the bulbs themselves (scales) becomes light brown).

But it is quite possible to focus on the beginning of the yellowing of the foliage. Early digging is dangerous, because the bulbs are not mature enough and will be worse stored, bloom, multiply. Late digging is complicated by the fact that the search for bulbs will turn into a sort of lottery: small bulbs in the nests will “crumble” or deepen. The traditional terms for digging are the third decade of June and the first decade of July.

Tulips are dug carefully, especially those plants whose flowers have been crushed or specimens that have not produced flower stalks at all, which can be considered a signal either to be “drawn” into the ground or to be crushed. It is advisable to dig tulips with a large supply of soil in depth to eliminate the risk of damage to even the smallest bulbs. Digging with the analysis of groups, varieties (at least with the division into early, middle and late tulips) will simplify the process of sorting them.

Dug up tulips are scattered in boxes or containers in one or two layers for drying in the shade in a ventilated, cool place. After 1-2 days, they are carefully freed from the soil and cleaned of the remnants of roots, old leaves, scales, undecayed nests are separated. Before storage, it is advisable to pickle tulips in a solution of fungicides in the same way as before planting.

Sorting tulips is a mandatory procedure when growing varieties. Tulips must be grouped not only by the name of the variety, color palette and other flowering characteristics, but also by the size of the bulbs. Usually, six parsings of tulips are distinguished according to the diameter of the bulb: bulbs of the size "extra (from 4 cm), the first parsing (3.5-4 cm), the second parsing (3-3.5 cm), the third parsing (2.5-3, 0 cm), children of the first category (from 1.5 to 2.5 cm) and children of the second category (up to 1.5 cm). But you can use a simplified system of large (from 2.5 cm) and small (less than 2.5 cm) bulbs. If the collection is large, it is better to make your own template for measuring the diameter of the bulbs.

Store tulips in boxes or ventilated boxes in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. It is believed that temperature is almost unimportant for tulips, but in fact, controlling the storage temperature allows you to get much better flowering and ripening. Tulips should be stored at an air temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees for a month, then for several weeks, in August, the temperature is lowered to 20 degrees, and before planting in September, the bulbs are kept cool at about 16 degrees Celsius.

During the entire period of storage outside the soil, the bulbs should be regularly inspected and any suspicious or diseased specimens should be discarded.

wintering tulips

Tulips belong to frost-resistant bulbs. They do not need protection for the winter, but only with a sufficient level of snow. To protect against temperature changes, unstable conditions, snowless periods, it is better to mulch plantings.

As a mulch for tulips, it is better to use compost, peat, sawdust, straw or humus. The optimal shelter height is from 5-8 to 10-15 cm. A mulch layer is created only after stable night frosts are established, the soil begins to freeze.

Removing the mulch in the spring is carried out only after the snow melts and if leaves or straw were used (organic matter is left in the garden and embedded in the soil when loosening).

Storing tulip bulbs before planting in the ground. © thebikinggardener

Pests and diseases of tulips

Tulips are the most popular, but far from the most hardy garden bulbs. And for varietal plants, diseases are considered the main cause of bulb loss and plant death. True, it should be borne in mind that diseases are almost always the result of improper selection of conditions or care that does not correspond to the characteristics of the plant, including insufficient vigilance. If you follow the rules of planting and storage, water and fertilize on time, inspect the bulbs and plants, then the risk of these problems will be minimal.

Very often, tulips suffer from fusarium (it manifests itself in yellowing and drying out of the leaves and peduncle, browning and drying out of the bulbs, a weak grayish bloom), gray rot (usually on heavy soils, in wet weather it covers the aerial parts of tulips like a fire), rhizoctonia diseases and rhizoctoniosis (orange-brown spots and stripes).
Also found on tulips:

• penicillosis (scales turn yellow, buds and flower stalks rot);
• bacteriosis (bulbs rot and turn brown);
• variegation (spots and stripes on the leaves, giving the plant originality, but leading to a slowdown in metabolism, developmental delay, rapid yellowing of greenery);
• August disease or necrotic spotting (depressed spots on the bulbs, brown cracking dry strokes on the leaves);
• root rot (almost imperceptible or, if severely spread, leads to dwarfism, loss of decorative effect);
• botrytic rot (dull flowers, soft and dark bulbs) and other types of rot.

In case of violation of the terms of digging, distillation of plants, other problems can be observed - drooping flower stalks, blind buds, lime diseases, gum disease, etc.

When tulips are affected by viruses and fungal diseases, the fight is carried out with highly specialized or systemic fungicides, repeated processing and dressing of the bulbs. But still, the destruction of infected specimens with preventive treatments of other plants remains the most effective method of control.

Pests for tulips are far from uncommon. This plant can be affected not only by root pests - click beetles, a bear, onion mites, greenhouse aphids, onion hoverflies, wireworms, lilac jay, they love tulips and slugs with snails. It is easy to determine damage by soil pests: the leaves on the plant turn yellow and dry out. Fighting insects is quite difficult. Cutting out the damaged parts of the bulb, dressing in insecticides, isolating the plants from the rest of the collection can save the plants. But it's usually easier and less risky to destroy damaged bulbs and replace them with new ones.

Reproduction of tulips

Vegetative methods are basic for the propagation of all tulips. The easiest option is to separate the daughter bulbs and plant them as independent plants. Daughter bulbs are formed in tulips annually, at the base of the scales. When transplanting, the nests are divided and all plants are used as independent ones.

The seed method is used only for plant breeding and breeding of new varieties, mainly for species wild tulips, private gardeners use it very rarely. Tulip seedlings bloom only 4 or even 6-7 years after sowing. Plants for the first few years are grown in containers until at least a small bulb is formed, suitable for classical planting in the ground.

9 minutes to read

During the Ottoman Empire, only very rich people could afford to grow tulips in their garden. The bulbs of this plant were literally sold for their weight in gold, and the technology of growing and breeding was protected as a state secret. Today, this spring flower is one of the first to open its delicate petals in almost every city flower bed. And for those who wish to grow tulips on their own plot, planting and care in the open field is no longer such an unshakable secret as in the days of Medieval Turkey.

Plant features

Despite the fact that the tulip is from Asia, the flower is frost-resistant and tolerates winters well. The planting of the bulb of the plant is carried out in the fall, the flowering period falls on the end of April - the beginning of June.

Tulips Triumph

The stems are straight, reach a height of 5 cm to 1 m and have a round cross section. The leaves of the plant are elongated, lanceolate. The flowers are usually solitary, and the petals come in a variety of colors - white, lilac, yellow, burgundy, black, two-tone.

Reference. Traditionally, tulips bloom in spring. But if desired, you can achieve flowering in winter, summer and even autumn.

Varieties and classification of tulips

It is customary to classify tulips according to the timing of flowering and the color of the petals.

Tulips Darwin

According to the timing of flowering, four groups are distinguished:

1. Early flowering - these include early simple and double tulips.
2. Triumph tulips and Darwin tulip hybrids are called mid-flowering.
3. Late-bloomers include Cottage or late simple tulip, lily-flowered, fringed, green-flowered, parrot, Rembrandt tulip and late double tulip.
4. Separately, a group of hybrids and varieties of Foster, Kaufman, Greig tulips and wild-growing species are singled out.

According to the color of the petals and colors, tulips are divided into:

• feather-like;
• flaming;
• striped;
• plain;
• mixed;
• bicolor.

Reference. The mixed color of the petals appeared from the defeat of the plant by a viral disease. This virus remains in the bulb that tulips propagate, so the ripple effect is inherited. Unfortunately, over time, the disease weakens the plant, it becomes more vulnerable to bacteria and fungi, and its flower stalks become low-decorative and unattractive.

reproduction

For those wishing to breed tulips, the reproduction of these flowers will not cause any particular difficulties. Landing is carried out from the second decade of September to the first decade of October. Flowers are placed in flowerbeds and rabatka, both separately and in combination with other bulbs.

tulip bulbs

Bulbs must be sorted before planting:

1. Sort them by size.
2. Those affected by the disease and with mechanical damage are discarded.
3. Hide healthy specimens in linen bags or paper bags.
4. Be sure to make a note with a description of the variety.

Important! Separately, flowers are planted on the beds, which are intended for cutting. To do this, use small bulbs. Large planting material is intended for flower beds, where it is also planned to grow other bulbs.

Preparing for landing

An important component of preparing for planting flowers is the correct choice of a site for a flower bed. For this, the following rules are followed:

• heavy soils and sandy soils are not suitable for tulips, they need humus-rich sandy loamy soils;
• in clay areas, the situation can be corrected by adding river sand;
• unnecessarily light soils add soddy land, peat, humus;
• the site must be closed from the wind;
• tulips develop well in sufficiently sunlit places, otherwise the bulbs of the plant become smaller;
• late varieties can be planted in partial shade;
• the site should be flat, flowers grow poorly on the slopes;
• a favorable condition for the growth of tulips is the high standing of groundwater.

Important! Although tulips need high groundwater, stagnant water negatively affects plant health. In such conditions, they are more susceptible to fungal infection. Therefore, the topsoil must be well aerated. For this, drainage ditches are additionally arranged.

The selected area must be properly fertilized. It is important not to overdo it here. An excess of organic matter negatively affects flowering - the petals become irregular in shape, the flower stalks are bent.

Tulips Rembrandt

It is unacceptable to bring fresh manure under the bulbs, because of this they rot, lose their ability to reproduce.

Soil preparation is carried out in the following sequence:

1. The earth is preliminarily limed, since neutral or slightly alkaline soils are suitable for tulips.
2. Mature humus is added to the soil 2-3 months before planting.
3. A good effect on flowers is the introduction of 2-year-old compost.
4. If it is necessary to improve the soil, the selected place is sown with green manure before planting.
5. Subsequently, the beveled green manure is plowed into the ground.

planting tulips

The bulbs are planted in September so that they have time to take root before the arrival of frost. The earth at this time should be moderately wet. Therefore, it is recommended to plant tulips after rain. If there was no precipitation for a long time, then the beds should be watered.

Tulips in the garden

When you plan to plant several groups of tulips in a flower bed, it is recommended to draw up their diagram on a piece of paper. In the future, this will simplify the care of flowers, and it will be easier to collect the bulbs for harvesting for storage.

The ridges are arranged with a height of about 15 cm. So the soil warms up more quickly and excess water does not stagnate. The width of the ridges is made at least 1 m. The aisles are allocated 0.4-0.5 m of area.

Landing is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. On the beds, marks are made for planting at a distance of about 25 cm.
2. In these places, furrows are dug with a depth of no more than 20 cm. If the bulbs are small, then the planting holes are made smaller.
3. Sand is added to the bottom of the furrow with a layer of about 2 cm, planting material is laid out on it every 6-7 cm.
4. The bottom of the bulb is pressed into the ground, after which it is covered with nutrient soil. It should contain humus at the rate of 9-10 kg per 1 sq. m. and mineral fertilizer.
5. After planting, the beds are mulched with humus, compost with a layer of at least 2 cm. In the southern regions, to protect the soil from elevated temperatures, it is covered with crushed overripe leaves. Sand is also suitable for these purposes.

If a small number of tulips are to be planted, separate holes for the bulbs are dug with an ordinary scoop. The landing technology is the same as in the above scheme. The bulbs are buried in the sand and covered with earth from the next hole.

On large areas under the furrows, it is more convenient to use a plow. Planting is carried out with row spacing of 60-65 cm, the bulbs are placed in furrows every 10-15 cm - the optimal distance depends on their size.

Important! Soil composition should be taken into account when determining planting depth. In the southern regions on sandy soils, the landing is done deeper. In the northern latitudes, heavy soils freeze through more strongly, so the depth is made shallower.

Further care

With plants such as tulips, growing and caring for them does not take much time. After landing, they practically do not need attention, and until spring they do not even remember about planting. But as soon as the snow begins to melt and the first shoots appear from the ground, they must be immediately carefully examined. If diseased, retarded plants, or non-sprouted bulbs are found, these are immediately removed from the beds and destroyed.

Decoration of flower beds with tulips

Weak frosts are not detrimental to tulips. During the period of bud formation, these flowers are able to withstand negative temperatures. But what cannot be denied to plants is regular loosening, weeding and sufficient moisture.

These plants are very moisture-loving. They especially need watering during the active growth of the flower stem. In doing so, the following rules are observed:

• on average, 20-30 liters of water per 1 square meter is considered the norm. area;
• It is undesirable to water flowers from a hose. This method is ineffective. Among other things, falling drops on a plant in sunny weather is fraught with burns;
• in order to moisten along the beds, it is better to dig grooves through which to irrigate.

Loosening and weeding is performed after watering. So weeds are easier to remove, moisture is better distributed in the soil, air exchange improves. After flowering stops, the intensity of soil moisture is reduced.

Fertilization

Top dressing of tulips with fertilizers is carried out in the phase of active vegetation three times. This is done immediately after watering:

1. The first fertilization is carried out when the plant has reached a length of 5 cm. The crushed dressing is distributed between the rows and embedded in the soil. It is better to perform this procedure in the morning. To do this, use nitrogen fertilizers, phosphorus and potash in ratios of 2:1:1.
2. The second top dressing is carried out during the formation of buds. Fertilizers are dissolved in water and applied to the soil through grooves. This time the proportions should be maintained 1:2:1.
3. For the third time, tulips are fertilized during the flowering period, but no later than 1.5 weeks after the previous one. It is carried out according to the principle of the second feeding.

Important! On large-scale plantings, fertilizers are applied only in dry crushed form. They are sprinkled on the moist surface of the soil after watering, then they are embedded in the soil when loosening.

Plant care after flowering

Tulips have a short growing season. When they bloom, their leaves dry up. But in the meantime, the formation of a new flower continues in the bulb. Therefore, the apparent dormant period is deceptive, and these days tulips also require special care - weeding from weeds, regular loosening of the soil.

Tulips in landscape design

Do not rush to dig up the bulbs immediately after flowering. This will lead to a loss in the quality of planting material - the bulbs become smaller, the decorative appearance of the flower becomes worse. Subsequently, they will have to grow.

So that drying plants do not spoil the overall appearance of the flower bed, they are allowed to be transplanted into boxes or separate pots. Containers are left in partial shade in the fresh air. When the leaves are completely dry, the bulbs can be taken out of the ground and taken to dry.

The timing of the start of the dormant period of tulip bulbs is different:

• early varieties are dug up first, followed by medium-flowering and late-flowering varieties, respectively;
• in the southern regions, the bulbs begin to get out of the soil in the last decade of June;
• in the northern regions and middle latitudes, digging begins in the second decade of July.

Storing tulip bulbs

The bulbs are left to dry in a warm room. It is important that there are no temperature fluctuations, otherwise the scales will crack. High humidity is unacceptable, this creates favorable conditions for the development of mold, causing the planting material to rot and become unusable.

For good drying:

1. The bulbs are laid out on a matting in a thin layer.
2. The temperature is maintained at +23-25°C.
3. Wet planting material is additionally arranged for ventilation.
4. The process takes about 2-3 weeks, during which time the buds of the future replacement bulb should form.
5. After that, the bulbs are cleaned from the roots and scales.

Dried and peeled bulbs are sorted into daughter and replacement bulbs. All sick, poorly developed children are culled. The rest are laid out in separate trays and placed in storage.

In the first days of storage, the room temperature is maintained at +15-18°С, gradually decreasing to +12-14°С. From time to time, planting material is checked for the presence of ticks, the development of fungal diseases. For prevention, planting material can be treated with powdered sulfur.

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