How to Plant Tulips? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods
The tulip is a perennial bulbous flower of the genus Tulipa in the family Liliaceae, and everyone is familiar with it. It is generally planted to form an overall block of color for people to view. Medium and dwarf tulip varieties can be grown in pots. Because of their elegant appearance and pure flower colors, they are deeply loved by people, and they are an important early-spring ornamental garden flower. However, many people do not know how to grow tulips, so let us take a look together below!
How to Select Tulip Bulbs
1. Choose pure varieties, large bulbs free of pest and disease damage and free of injury, because the bulb circumference should be 8 cm or more; 6 cm bulbs will not bloom, and 6~8 cm bulbs give no guarantee of blooming. Bulbs can be divided into four grades by circumference: grade one is 12 cm or more (diameter 3.8 cm or more), grade two is 11~12 cm (3.5~3.8 cm), grade three is 10~11 cm (3.2~3.5 cm), and below 10 cm (below 3.2 cm) is substandard.
2. Bulbs with dark skin color are red varieties, while light-colored ones are pale yellow or white. You should also ask clearly whether they are imported bulbs or domestically produced bulbs, and whether they are room-temperature bulbs or low-temperature bulbs. Room-temperature bulbs are bulbs that have not undergone low-temperature treatment; after planting they go through a natural low-temperature period, and the flowering period is from mid-to-late March to early April.
How to Plant Tulip Bulbs
1. Low-temperature treatment: Place the bulbs in a refrigerator at 4°C~9°C for cold storage, then take them out to plant after two months, or plant them directly in a pot and place it in the refrigerator. Prepare a flower box about 70 cm long or a 5-cun flower pot.
2. Soil selection: It is best to use peat soil entirely.
3. Planting density: A long flower box can hold two rows of five bulbs each, planted with a spacing of 8 cm between each bulb, while a 5-cun pot can hold three bulbs.
4. Planting method: When planting, place the pointed, protruding part of the bulb facing up, and plant the flatter side facing the same direction, so that the leaves will grow in a neat direction and the leaves will also be more attractive. After planting the bulbs, cover them with soil and smooth the surface, apply a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote or Magamp as a base fertilizer, and water thoroughly.
Tulip Care and Management Methods
1. Soil: Tulips require planting soil that both retains water and is airy, with salinity that is not too high and not too acidic; the pH value should be no less than 6. Using peat, decomposed soil and sand mixed at 1:1:1 as the growing medium gives better results.
2. Sunlight: Sufficient sunlight exposure is essential for tulip growth. Insufficient light will cause poor plant growth, bud drop, weakened plants, lighter leaf color and a shortened flowering period. However, within half a month or so after potting, tulips should be properly shaded to help the bulbs grow new roots. In addition, during germination, the elongation of flower buds is inhibited by light; after shading, the elongation of flower buds can be promoted, preventing excessive vegetative growth and legginess in the early stage. After emergence, light should be increased to promote stem elongation, flower bud formation and coloring. In the later stage, after the flower buds are fully colored, direct sunlight should be avoided to prolong the flowering time.
3. Temperature: Tulips like a climate that is warm in winter and cool in summer, with an optimum growing temperature of 9-13°C. They are highly cold-hardy and can withstand low temperatures of -35°C in winter.
4. Watering: After planting, water thoroughly so that the soil and bulbs can fully bind closely together, which helps rooting. After budding, water should be properly controlled. When the leaves gradually elongate, water can be sprayed on the leaf surface to increase air humidity. During the flower stalk emergence stage and the bud stage, a sufficient water supply must be ensured to promote full flower development. After flowering, properly control water.
5. Fertilizing: Tulips do not have high fertilizer requirements. If growth is weak, some nitrogen fertilizer can be applied. After the root system develops well, apply 2 kg of calcium nitrate per 100 square meters, spread in three applications with an interval of more than one week between each.
6. Pests and diseases: The pathogens of tulip pests and diseases can be carried by the bulbs, or the bulbs can be infected by pathogens carried in the soil. They mostly occur in high-temperature and high-humidity environments. The main diseases include stem rot, soft rot, color-breaking disease, damping-off and blind buds, while the main pest is mostly aphids. Carry out thorough soil disinfection before planting, use virus-free bulbs for cultivation as much as possible, promptly dig out and destroy diseased plants when found, and apply fungicide 1~2 times during greenhouse growth for better results; maintain good ventilation to prevent high temperature and high humidity; when aphids occur, spray with 3% natural pyrethrum at 800 times dilution.