Why are the tulip stems short and the flowers small?

For tulips grown at home, the quality is not as good as those sold at flower markets, usually shown as short stems and small flowers. The main reasons: first, varieties with different genetic backgrounds differ greatly in flower stem length and flower diameter; second, 2 to 3 consecutive years of cultivation causes variety degeneration, because the cultivation environment differs greatly from the ecological conditions of the tulip's place of origin, especially factors such as excessively high summer temperatures and unreasonable fertilization during the growing period, which easily cause bulb degeneration; generally, commercial bulbs can only be planted for 1 to 2 years without corresponding rejuvenation measures; third, the storage temperature of the bulbs is too high, causing massive consumption of internal nutrients, and flower bud differentiation does not have suitable temperature and humidity conditions (that is, cool and dry) to match it. This is the most fundamental reason for short stems and small flowers in tulips. The potted tulips sold on the market mostly use one-time commercial bulbs, all large bulbs with fully accumulated nutrients; combined with proper water and fertilizer management, they are bound to have lush leaves, tall scapes and large flowers.

Tulips originated in high mountain areas such as Iran and Turkey, and belong to the Mediterranean climate type of flowers, adapted to an ecological environment with wet and cold winters, cool summers and slightly dry conditions. They lie dormant in summer, take root and sprout new shoots in autumn and winter, but do not emerge from the soil; they need to go through low winter temperatures, and by February of the following year, when the temperature reaches 5°C to 20°C, the optimum temperature for flower bud differentiation is 20°C to 25°C, and the maximum must not exceed 28°C; the root system cannot regenerate after being damaged, so tulip plants are unsuitable for transplanting.

Home potting can be done in late September or early October. For potting, dwarf varieties should be chosen, and deep pots can be used to facilitate root development. The potting soil can be prepared by evenly mixing 7 parts leaf mold, 2 parts sand, and 1 part decomposed cake fertilizer or manure; before planting, first tear off the brown membranous skin on the outside of the bulb, then disinfect it with 0.1% carbendazim or zineb solution before planting it in the pot; generally, a flower pot with a diameter of 6 cun can plant 2 to 3 commercial bulbs with a diameter of more than 3 cm, then water thoroughly, place it in a place with sufficient light, and water when the potting soil is dry, but not too much, to prevent the potting soil from being too wet and causing the bulbs to rot; before freezing, move it into a cold room, and keep the room temperature above 0°C. In early spring from February to March, it will sprout and emerge from the soil; then move it outdoors in the sunlight, and apply thin cake fertilizer water once every 10 days; from budding to before flowering, apply quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer 1 to 2 times, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, which is not only beneficial to the formation and opening of the flowers, but also has a major impact on retaining bulbs for seed; during the growing period, always keep the potting soil moist, and it can bloom in April. If the goal is to force it to bloom during New Year's Day or the Spring Festival, the potted commercial bulbs can be placed in a cool place outdoors, keeping the potting soil neither dry nor wet, until 1 to 2 months before the planned viewing period, then move them to a temperature condition of 5°C to 7°C, such as in a plastic shed; after the leaves emerge, move them to a place with a temperature of 15°C to 18°C and sufficient light, increase water and fertilizer, and they can bloom on schedule.

For plants whose bulbs are to be retained, the flower scape can be picked off together with the flower bud as early as possible before the bud opens, and then apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once every half month. This can not only reduce the plant's nutrient consumption, but also promote the daughter bulbs to grow large and numerous, making them meet the standard for bulbs; when their stems and leaves begin to turn yellow, stop watering and fertilizing; when about 1/2 of the stems and leaves have turned yellow, the bulbs can be dug out, spread out slightly to dry, and then disinfected with 0.1% potassium permanganate or carbendazim for 20 minutes; after drying slightly, spread them in a basket and store them in a dry, cool place; during storage, the room temperature should be kept no higher than 20°C to 25°C, and diseased bulbs should be checked frequently and removed for destruction; by early September, the stored bulbs can complete flower bud differentiation, and then they can be transferred to a cold room for low-temperature treatment; the first stage can be maintained at 9°C, and the latter month transferred to 5°C, for a total treatment of 60 to 80 days, to ensure they can bloom normally. For bulbs that have undergone low-temperature treatment, timely forcing cultivation is carried out, and from planting to flowering generally takes only 50 to 60 days.