How do you plant tulip seeds? Three steps to grow sturdy, flowering plants

Tulip flowers look like upside-down lampshades, come in a rich variety of colors, and some even bear multiple colors on a single flower, making them a long-standing popular flower for decorating courtyards and homes. It is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Tulipa of the lily family, with a flattened conical bulb covered in a brown skin, more than 8000 cultivated varieties, and flower shapes including cup-shaped, bowl-shaped, egg-shaped, and spherical; as the national flower of the Netherlands, it is also hailed as the "Queen of Flowers." Many people do not know that what tulips call "seeds" is actually their bulb, which looks very much like the garlic we commonly eat. Below, three steps will teach you how to grow it into a healthy plant.

Three steps to grow sturdy tulips

Step one, choose good bulbs: pick ones that feel slightly firm and have glossy skin; soft, dull ones are very hard to keep alive. Step two, insert into soil to plant: unlike most seeds, it cannot be buried entirely in the soil, otherwise it will struggle to sprout; the correct way is to insert the bulb into the soil with the top exposed, keeping the exposed part at one-half. Step three, place in a dark spot: many people think they should get sun after planting, but direct sunlight damages the bulb and makes it hard to sprout, so the pot should be placed in a slightly shaded spot to rest. These steps are all very easy to do, and after doing them, wait one to two weeks and you will see green sprouts emerge; during this time, do not forget to replenish water in time.

Care after sprouting and flowering management

Tulips adapt to wet, cold winters and dry, hot summers, go dormant in summer, root and sprout in autumn and winter but do not emerge from the soil, and after winter low temperatures, only when the temperature rises above 5°C in early February do they begin to extend and form stems and leaves; the suitable temperature for growth and flowering is 15-20°C, and they generally bloom from March to April. The length of the flowering period depends entirely on temperature: high temperatures shorten the flowering period to at most about one week; low temperatures lengthen it to about two months. Around 7 a.m. is the most beautiful time to view tulips.

For daily watering, "a little at a time, many times": one week after planting, water needs are higher, so water thoroughly; after sprouting, gradually reduce it; during flowering, water must not be excessive, as being too dry will noticeably delay growth; keeping air humidity at about 80% is ideal. Neutral to slightly alkaline sandy loam soil is best. Tulips relatively like fertilizer, so before planting apply plenty of dry chicken manure or decomposed compost as a base fertilizer and water thoroughly, and 2-3 days before planting, plow and rake the soil loose. The suitable temperature during the growing period is 5-20°C, with 15-18°C being best; root growth is best between 5-14°C; the suitable temperature for flower bud differentiation is 20-25°C, not exceeding 28°C. When the bulb sprouts, flower bud elongation is inhibited by sunlight, so plant deeply and shade appropriately to prevent direct light from affecting bulb growth.

If you want to grow a few more pots, you can use bulb division propagation: after one season of growth, the mother bulb produces 1-2 large bulbs and 3-5 small bulbs around it; large bulbs bloom in the same year after planting, and small bulbs can also bloom after 1-2 years of cultivation; you can also collect seeds before the capsule matures and splits, store them in sand until October, sow them indoors in pots, keep them moist, and they will sprout the following spring and bloom in about 3-4 years; this method is mostly used to breed new varieties. As for diseases, mainly prevent rot sclerotinia, gray mold, and flower-breaking virus disease; try to choose virus-free bulbs, disinfect the soil and bulbs, burn diseased bulbs and plants promptly when found, and spray with 5% benomyl wettable emulsion at 2500 times dilution every half month. By following these methods, your tulips can also produce dignified and charming flowers.