When to plant tulips in spring and autumn in 2022: timing, favorable days according to the lunar calendar

When to plant tulips in autumn

A tulip planted from seed grows for several years, but the bulbs are replaced annually. After laying young bulbs, the old ones die off. In the summer, during the dormant period, the embryo of the future flower is laid in the bulb. In autumn, the bulb gives roots and completes the preparation of the shoot for the spring growing season. This is why it is so important for gardeners to know when to plant tulips in the fall. If there is an error, the tulip collection will be lost.

Originating as a species in the mountains of Iran, Pamir-Altai and Tien Shan, over millions of years of evolution, the tulip managed to spread from Central Asia to the western coast of the Mediterranean, to Transbaikalia in the east and to the Sinai Peninsula in the south, even capturing the southern regions of Russia. Coming from arid areas with a sharply continental climate, it is perfectly adapted to lack of water in summer, cold in winter and short, wet spring.

What month is it better to plant tulips?

To understand, we need to remember the life cycle of wild tulips. It is the same in cultivated varieties. After spring flowering, the old bulb dies, leaving behind daughter bulbs that do not yet have roots. The life of daughter bulbs in summer is concentrated within themselves. At this time, a new plant is planted, which will bloom next spring. In the fall, the bulbs take root and freeze for the winter so that in the spring they have time to germinate immediately after the snow melts.

In the life cycle, the bulbs require a cooling period, during which the substances necessary for the active growth of the flower are formed in the bulbs.

The average time for planting tulips is from mid-September to the end of October. When planting, you should take into account local climate conditions and the time required for rooting of the bulbs. Rooting takes twenty to thirty days under optimal conditions.

Optimal conditions should be understood as a soil temperature of seven to nine degrees at a depth of ten centimeters and moist soil.

Attention! In warm weather, the bulbs will begin to grow and die when frozen. If the air temperature is too low, they will not take root well, and in the spring the sprouts will be very weak.

Why calculate landing times?

After the autumn planting of tulips in the country, you will not need to worry about planting flowers again; perennials will grow again every year. You just need to choose the right timing of planting and the variety for this region so that in the spring the flowers begin to grow on time. In cold areas, it is better to plant zoned tulip hybrids so that they survive the winter safely.

Planting dates are calculated depending on the climatic and weather conditions in the plant growth zone. If you plant flowers just before frost, they will freeze. Planted approximately 30-40 days before the onset of cold weather. During heavy rainfalls, seed material is not planted, the water will wash away the soil, the bulbs will become bare, and excess moisture contributes to the development of fungus. Rooting of the bulbs begins to occur in the fall, the first leaves and flower stalks are laid, and roots develop.

Important! At temperatures below +5*C, tulips should not be planted; they may not sprout.

Planting dates in the Moscow region, Leningrad region, Central Russia

The landing dates are approximately the same and range from the twentieth of September to mid-October. In the south, bulbs begin to be planted in October.

In the Urals

The Urals is a fairly extensive concept. Landing depends on the area. In the Middle Urals they are usually planted in mid-September, and in the Southern Urals they can be planted throughout the first ten days of October.

In Siberia

The conditions are much harsher even in the Urals, so tulips are planted there in the last ten days of August. In case of a warm autumn, you can continue to plant during the first two weeks of September.

Planting at home

Planting and growing tulips at home differs only in that by regulating the temperature and providing artificial cooling during off-season months, tulips can bloom in the middle of winter. In general, the technology is similar to growing flowers in open ground. The bulbs are planted in a pot in September.

Planting bulbs

Before planting, you need to select high-quality material. Bulbs that are to bloom in spring must be at least four centimeters in diameter. Small bulbs will not bloom in the first year.

You need to buy bulbs in August - September, when stores have the largest selection of goods. Don't wait until later. Later, goods of appropriate quality, which are unlikely to germinate in the spring, are sold cheaply.

Bulbs in stores are already sorted into categories. Extra and first harvest are suitable for planting in the fall. You should choose an extra if possible. The first analysis will do. The rest will not bloom in the spring. Bulbs smaller than 2.5 cm in circumference are this year's bulbs. The so-called "kids". They still need to be raised.

Attention! For planting, choose large, dry bulbs without signs of rot or disease.

Planting calendar 2022

According to the lunar calendar for planting tulips in 2022, the best days to treat the bulb before planting against diseases and pests are August 6, 10–12 or September 1–5, 11, 12, 29 and 30. Autumn is the most favorable time for planting bulbous plants so that they bloom next season. Tulips are planted according to the 2018 lunar calendar from September 20 to 24, when the Moon is in the constellation Aquarius and Pisces. If October is chosen as the planting month, then, again, according to the lunar calendar for planting tulips in 2022, this should be done from the 17th to the 21st. During this time, Aquarius and Pisces will promote healthy plant growth.

Selecting a location

Tulips require a sunny place without the risk of flooding by groundwater and loose, light soil. The flowerbed should be protected from strong winds and drafts, but not be completely unventilated. Air stillness can provoke fungal diseases.

Attention! Provide good soil drainage for tulips.

If water accumulates in winter, the bulbs may freeze or become diseased. If it is impossible to find such a site, flowers are planted on high ridges.

Soil for planting

Tulips do not like acidic soil. In this case, liming is necessary. The flower bed is prepared at least two weeks before planting the bulbs. It’s better to give it a month to give the soil time to settle. The soil must be dug up to a depth of thirty centimeters and fertilizers must be added to it. If the soil is too heavy, sand or other loosening material should be added.

Before digging, the future flower bed is treated with herbicides to kill perennial weeds. Since the tulip needs nutrients already in March, all fertilizers must be applied in advance. Organic matter must be added a year before planting the bulbs.

Attention! Do not place fresh manure under tulip bulbs.

How to plant bulbs correctly

There are different opinions about removing dry peels. Some gardeners believe that it must be removed. Another opinion says that it should be removed only if there is a suspicion of disease. For the purpose of visual inspection.

Before planting, the bulbs need to be etched with a half percent solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour to two hours. It is necessary to plant immediately, as the bulbs absorb water well when they begin to germinate. If there is a delay in planting, you can accidentally break off the roots that have already appeared.

Simultaneously with planting flowers, complex mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil. Nowadays special fertilizers for bulbous plants are already sold.

If the soil is dry, the grooves for planting tulips are well watered and fertilizer for bulbous plants is sprinkled on the bottom (if nothing was added during digging). Then pour sand in a layer of two to three centimeters and lay out the bulbs.

Important! Do not press the bulbs. Bent roots can be damaged.

The place for planting tulips must be changed annually. Tulips can be planted in the same place every four years. Not more often.

Step-by-step planting instructions

Two weeks after digging, planting begins. It is recommended to plant bulbs of different sizes separately.

Planting is carried out in holes in an array or in furrows. The bulbs are planted with the bottom (widened part) down, deep - this guarantees a successful wintering and increases the survival of the tulip. With this planting, the plants will be healthy, tall, and their buds and flowers will be large. The shallower the depth, the smaller the flower and the higher the risk of freezing. In heavy soils, the planting depth can be reduced by a third.

The distance between the bulbs depends on their size. It is recommended to maintain the following intervals:

• between the largest bulbs - 10–15 cm;
• large - 7–10 cm;
• medium - 5.5–7 cm;
• small - 4–5 cm.

Planting in open ground

It is recommended to carry out planting work at an air temperature of at least 5°C. The process itself includes the following steps:

1. The beds are dug up using a full shovel.
2. The lumps are broken up with a rake and then crushed by hand.
3. Dig holes or furrows.
4. The bulbs are placed on their bottom, bottom down.
5. The holes are dug in and the soil is leveled.
6. The beds are watered generously from a watering can so that the water seeps down to the bulbs.

   Tulips prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soils

Tulips are often planted compactly in limited areas of arbitrary shape. In order not to lose the planting site in the spring, it is recommended to fence the flowerbed with slats, branches, ropes, or highlight it in some other way.

In boxes (containers)

Tulips need to be replanted annually. You can plant flowers in boxes, bowls with perforated bottoms, lattice plastic baskets and containers, and metal mesh. This trick makes it easy and quick to remove the bulbs from the ground. The planting container should not be too large; large containers are difficult to pull out of the ground.

Standard boxes in which vegetables are transported or mesh baskets are suitable. Bulbs in such containers are not injured when removed from the ground and do not “go” deep. Baskets are convenient for creating multi-level beds and landscape compositions. They are good for growing different varieties of flowers. Planting in boxes and containers occurs in the following order:

1. In the prepared bed, dig a hole of the required depth and shape.
2. Place a container on the bottom.
3. Pour sand in a layer of 1–1.5 cm.
4. The bulbs are placed in it with the bottom down, maintaining a distance.
5. The container is covered with earth, the soil is leveled.
6. The bed is watered abundantly.

Some gardeners claim that baskets and containers protect tulips from mice by preventing them from digging. But others believe that this is not so. Mice easily penetrate through holes in the container and can enter the box from above. It is better to use natural methods of protection.

To protect against mice, bulbous fritillaria flowers (hazel grouse) are planted between tulips. The smell of hazel grouse repels rodents.

For one basket measuring 30x40 cm, it is enough to plant two hazel grouse. Fritillaria are planted in the fall, at the same time as tulips. Depth - 2-3 times the height of the bulb.

Planting tulips in baskets

In addition to the traditional planting of tulips in holes and grooves, today many people prefer to plant them in baskets.

The word “basket” usually brings to mind an image of a wicker product. Such baskets are also used for planting flowers in landscape design.

Basket as decoration. In this case, we are talking about a different type of basket, needed only for planting bulbs. These baskets go deep into the ground and are not noticeable.

Basket for bulbs

A very convenient device for flowers that require annual digging. In addition to saving time, such a basket also has a lot of advantages and as yet undiscovered disadvantages. Advantages:

• protects the bulbs from accidental damage and losses during digging;
• prevents the bulbs from “going” into the ground;
• rodents that feed on the bulbs cannot penetrate it;
• there is no need to leave withered foliage in a visible place until the bulbs ripen;
• protects the roots of neighboring plants from accidental damage when digging up bulbs;
• You can plant flowers in the soil that suits them, even if the rest of the area is not suitable for growing this type of plant.

The baskets are made of hard plastic. Today, the industry produces baskets of almost any size and shape. The bottom and side walls have slots, thanks to which roots can grow freely.

As the tulips fade, they begin to turn yellow. Unsightly spots with withered foliage appear on the flowerbed. But you can’t dig them up yet, as the bulb needs to gain strength. If the flowers are planted in a basket, you can remove the basket from the ground and put it out of sight, allowing the bulbs to ripen quietly. Plant something else in place of the basket.

Baskets are a real boon for gardeners whose cottages are located on heavy clay soil. You can create a micro area with the soil the tulip needs using these baskets.

When planting in a basket, all standard agrotechnical practices are followed. The bulbs are planted at the usual distance. Depending on the size, you can plant one, two, three or more bulbs. In a basket with a diameter of twenty centimeters you can plant one large, two medium or three small onions.

Another indisputable advantage of this method is the possibility of “multi-story” planting. In the bottom row are large, above are medium, and even higher are small bulbs.

This way, you won’t have to allocate and prepare a separate place in the garden for growing small bulbs. Everything can be done in one container.

To plant tulips in a basket, you do not need to prepare a flowerbed in advance. It is enough to dig a hole of suitable size, place a basket there, lightly sprinkle the bottom with soil for tulips, place the bulbs there and cover the bulbs with flower soil.

Attention! The initial powder is needed to place the bulbs in an upright position.

Another absolutely wonderful way to use these baskets is to plant bulbous flowers with different flowering periods in them at different levels. You can plant tulips, daffodils or hyacinths above and crocuses at the top. Then you will have primroses blooming in this place all spring. Then the basket is taken out and moved “to a corner” for the ripening of the bulbs.

If such baskets are not available, you can make do with available plastic containers. The main thing is not to forget to make enough holes in them. Experienced gardeners successfully grow tulips in five-liter bottles with cut off necks.

Unfavorable days in 2022

• March - 3-17;
• April - 1-16;
• May - 1-15, 30-31.

Preparing tulip bulbs

Just one bulb, infected with any fungal or infectious disease, when planted in a common flowerbed, can lead to the death of the remaining flowers. Just imagine what sad consequences there could be due to a single small mistake! While proper treatment of the bulbs will protect the tulips from diseases and pests, it will help them grow faster and bloom better.

Regardless of what time of year you decide to plant tulips - autumn or spring, such an important process as preparing tulips for planting deserves special attention. Of course, you can simply put the bulbs in the ground and cover them with soil, and then hope that “if they want to live, they will grow.” However, experienced gardeners are well aware of the role pre-treatment of tulips before planting can play.

Many gardeners, even when storing bulbs, pay attention to sorting them, dividing them into large and small ones. Accordingly, tulips are then planted also, focusing on the diameter of the bulbs. In the future, this will greatly facilitate the summer care of tulips and digging up the bulbs after flowering. If you did not sort before storing the planting material or just recently bought bulbs of different varieties, it is not too late to sort them immediately before planting.

Choosing a place to plant tulips

Often, due to unsuitable growing conditions created for the tulip, the bulbs rot and nothing grows. Therefore, first of all, you need to choose an appropriate place for planting tulips. It should be well lit and protected from strong cold winds.

The site must have a flat surface and a permeable subsoil layer. When choosing a site, the size of the fertile layer is important, which should be at least 30 cm. Tulips love loose, fertile soils, from neutral to moderately acidic.

And the last thing you need to think about when choosing a place to plant a tulip is a good predecessor. It can be any flower or vegetable crop, except bulbs and nightshades, the viral diseases of which are transmitted to tulips.

The main condition is good physical properties of the soil: sufficient moisture capacity, looseness and air capacity, and insufficient natural fertility is compensated by applying fertilizers and fertilizing. The best soils for tulips are highly cultivated, humus-rich sandy loams and loams with a neutral environmental reaction. Other soils are brought to perfection using special techniques.

The disadvantage of sandy soils, from the point of view of growing tulips, is that they dry out quickly and are poor in nutrients. More frequent watering of plants and regular fertilizing can smooth out these defects. Heavy clay soils need more radical improvement: adding coarse river sand (up to 20 kg per sq.m.), peat, rotted manure or other organic materials that increase water permeability and improve air access to the roots. If using peat, neutralize its acidifying effect with lime (40 - 50 g per sq.m.) or chalk (300 - 500 g per sq.m.) - tulips grow better at a pH of 6.5 - 7.8. During the growing season of plants, heavy soils require more frequent loosening.

Planting tulips in autumn

As a rule, at the end of September - beginning of October, the soil temperature drops to 7-10 °C. This time is ideal to plant tulips. It should be borne in mind that the formation of the root system will take the bulbs from three weeks to a month. And the weather in autumn is unstable. When planting bulbs late in November, they will need good shelter for the winter (leaf or spruce branches).

The planting material must be dense, evenly colored, without visible stains or mechanical damage, and well dried. Before planting, the bulbs need to be soaked for about two hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If there is no time for prevention, just pour this potassium permanganate into the planting holes. Large bulbs and children should be planted separately from each other. Children planted in autumn will not bloom yet next year.

Planting depth. Depends on the bulb and is approximately three times its size. This is approximately 10–15 centimeters for large bulbs, 5–7 for children. Bulbs can be planted either in holes or in furrows. With the second planting option, you should choose planting material of the same size for each individual groove. For tulip bulbs, it is very important to maintain the correct planting depth, and with their different sizes, the depth of the groove is almost impossible to determine.

Distance between bulbs when planting. Depends on the size of the bulb itself. Usually it is about 10–15 centimeters. Children can be planted more closely together. If planting is done in rows, then the distance between them is 30–35 centimeters. It is not necessary to take a tape measure with you to the garden: this distance is equal to the height of a bayonet shovel.

Watering. Before planting, the prepared holes or grooves must be thoroughly watered. You can water the plants after planting to help the soil better cover the bulbs. But first you need to level the ridge with a rake so that water does not accumulate in the recesses.

Caring for tulips after flowering

The bulbs are dug up when the leaves turn yellow and begin to dry out. You should not wait until the leaves are completely dead. Overexposure of the bulbs in the soil leads to infection with fungal diseases, since the integumentary scales by the time the bulbs finally ripen lose their immunity and can even become a spreader of infection.

When dug up at the right time, the nests do not have time to disintegrate, and the integumentary scales adhere tightly to the bulb. This planting material is well stored until planting.

Features of planting tulips in Siberia

Due to the very harsh climatic conditions of Siberia, planting tulips in Siberia should be discussed in more detail.

The thickness of the fertile soil layer should be at least forty centimeters. Before planting, the soil is carefully dug up and mineral fertilizers, humus and wood ash are added.

Tulips are planted in holes at least fifteen centimeters deep. At shallower depths, the bulbs may freeze. But you can’t plant too deep either. Plants may not break through the ground in spring. The standard ten centimeters between holes must be maintained.

Attention! The peculiarity of Siberian tulip cultivation is that large bulbs are supported by small ones.

To protect the bulbs from being eaten by rodents in winter after snow falls, poisoned baits are used. The poison is placed as deep as possible under the snow so that pets cannot reach it.

Plantings are covered for the winter no earlier than the onset of stable frosts and freezing of the soil to a depth of five centimeters. For shelter you can use foliage, sawdust, peat, humus. You can use straw. Straw protects plantings during sudden thaws, as well as during snowless and cold winters.

By following the rules of agricultural technology when growing tulips and knowing when to plant tulips in the fall, you can get a very beautiful flower bed in early spring.

Planting care

After planting, tulips are not watered, because it often rains in the fall. If there is no precipitation within 10 days, moisten the flowerbed. If the weather corresponds to the climatic norm, there is no need to cover the bed with an additional layer of mulch.

Excess heat can cause premature growth of the bulbs, and when frost occurs, the sprouts will die. This concludes the autumn care of tulips after planting. It will need to be renewed only in the spring, after the appearance of the above-ground part.

When to plant daffodils in the fall

Preparing for winter

In a situation where the cold comes unexpectedly early, and you are afraid that the tubers in the ground will not have time to take root, it is recommended to mulch the soil. In this case, the roots will continue to develop and the bulbs will overwinter properly.

If there are a lot of rodents in your area, you can protect your plants from them by building a shelter from spruce branches. In cold weather, animals can become more active in order to find food for themselves. Additionally, spruce branches will serve as protection in severe frosts.