There is nothing quite as eye catching and stunning as a garden bed full of colorful tulips in the springtime. As gorgeous as these are, they are not without some hard work! As someone who spent 3 years at the Dallas Arboretum where they have the largest bulb display in the Southwest, I experienced that firsthand!
While it is hard work, it is not impossible, and the results are so rewarding IF you do it correctly. The ideal planting time in North Texas is between Thanksgiving and Christmas (among all the other things you must do at that time of year!) The first thing is to start with good quality bulbs bought from a reputable source. The bulbs should be firm with no soft spots or shriveling and be sure to check for mold. The larger the bulb is, the larger the flower display will be, so look for the largest size you can get.
Tulips along with Hyacinths also need to be pre-chilled before planting in our area because our winters are not cold enough to provide the necessary chilling period they require. You can purchase them pre-chilled from many places or you can chill them yourself by placing them in the fridge for 45-60 days prior to planting. Wrap them in paper towels and put in paper bags in the vegetable bin but be sure not to put any fruits in the fridge that produce ethylene gas which will affect the growth and flowers of the tulip.
One thing to remember when planting tulips is that you need to plant them at a depth of three times their diameter. So, a bulb that is two inches across will need to be planted at six inches deep. You can plant them very close together, in fact, I encourage it to get the biggest show of flowers. There is debate about whether you should fertilize bulbs when planting. Spring blooming bulbs are not heavy feeders, and they hold all the nutrients that they need to create a fabulous display in the spring right in the bulb. Starting with a bed full of good organic materials is the best way to help them along but if you feel you need to do a little more you can add a little bulb fertilizer at the time of planting.
One thing to keep in mind when planning your tulip garden is that tulips do not have a very long bloom time and most only produce one flower stem. So, if you want your hard work to pay off for a longer period of time, it is a good idea to mix within one bed mid, early and/or late season bloomers. That way when one variety starts to fade, you have another one just starting.
If all this has encouraged you to create your own tulip garden, let us at Smith Lawn & Tree know and we can help you with that with everything from bed preparation to clean up in the spring!
Shelly Ryan is a degreed horticulturist who joined Smith Lawn and Tree as an Account Manager in early 2016, returning in mid-2021 after a two-year hiatus as an artist on the Gulf Coast. Her artistic eye for creativity, balance, and color enriches her landscape work, where she excels in seasonal color design and container arrangements. With extensive experience at golf courses and country clubs across the DFW area, Shelly has developed a strong attention to detail. She believes effective communication is essential to building lasting client relationships, which she has thoroughly enjoyed fostering over her years at Smith.
"*" indicates required fields