Tulips are one of the most beautiful spring garden plants. Planting these flowers is not a difficult task. However, to get beautiful flowers from bulbs, you need to learn some rules. Here you will find answers to questions and tips on how to buy bulbs, how to plant tulips in autumn and spring, when and how to plant and how to care for them. And also whether it is necessary to dig up the bulbs every year and whether it is possible to plant tulips in the spring.
When to plant tulips in open ground in the fall
Planting a bulbous crop before winter at the optimal time significantly increases the chances of success. If you plant it too late, it will not have time to take root and will freeze in the winter. And if you do this too early, then due to warm favorable conditions it can germinate, which will cause the bulb to freeze out during the first frost.
It is necessary to plant 3-4 weeks before the first frost so that the bulbs have time to take root. In this case, the soil should have a temperature of about 7-10 degrees Celsius at a depth of 10-15 cm. Approximately, planting can be done in early September and until the first half of October.
It is impossible to name an exact universal procedure time that is applicable for all of Russia. Indeed, due to different weather and temperature conditions, the timing of planting tulips in open ground in the fall in different regions differs:
In the middle zone (Moscow region) - the second half of September;
In Siberia, the Urals, the North-West (Leningrad region) - the first half of September (if the year turned out to be very cold, then even at the end of August);
In the South (Krasnodar Territory (Kuban), North Caucasus) - the first half of October.
How and where to store bulbs before autumn planting
When storing tulip bulbs until autumn planting, certain requirements must be met:
- at the initial stage of storage, the temperature should be approximately 23–25°C;
- by the onset of August, the temperature in the storage should be reduced to 20°C;
- about a week before planting in open ground flower beds, the temperature drops to 15°C;
- Excessive humidity in the storage should be prevented, as otherwise the risk of developing bacterial and fungal diseases increases;
- it is important to monitor the air humidity in the storage, otherwise the bulbs may dry out or die;
- Good ventilation should be provided in the room.
If necessary, the bottom shelf of a conventional refrigerator can be used for storage.
Experienced gardeners advise wrapping flower bulbs with newspaper paper, which will prevent the development of diseases, rotting or excessive drying.
Preparing the soil for planting tulips
Tulips are planted on fertile soil with a neutral reaction. On such soil, the flowers will be large, with a powerful root system.
Any deviations in soil composition from the norm can be easily corrected:
1. Acidic soil is diluted with dolomite flour and lime.
2. Add sand and humus to heavy soil.
3. Light soil is enriched with turf soil, compost, and humus.
The soil is prepared 2 weeks before planting. The sites are cleared of previous crops. Fertilizers are added: potassium nitrate, wood ash. They dig with a shovel on a bayonet. Then they are carefully leveled. There should be no depressions or unevenness on the site.
Good predecessors of tulips are herbaceous plants.
Choosing bulbs in the Leningrad region
To successfully plant tulips in the Leningrad region, you need to choose the right bulbs:
Before you make a purchase, make sure that the material you have chosen is of high quality. First of all, remember that you need to buy tulip bulbs in specialized gardening stores. They have guarantees for the product and it is always better to know where to turn in case of problems;
The size of the bulb should be 4 cm. The largest ones are suitable only for winter forcing;
The entire surface of the bulb should be covered with thin golden or brownish scales. Otherwise, the tulip will rise slowly and develop poorly even in a greenhouse; There should be no damage, scratches or unnatural depressions on the bulb. It is bad if the planting material is too soft or affected by rot;
Pay attention to the neck and bottom of the tulip bulb. You need to plant tulips in the fall in the Moscow region if the bottom and neck of the tulip are sufficiently dense and elastic. You cannot plant plants that have overgrown roots and a softened bottom;
The bulbs are simply injured, so do not delay planting after purchase. If the time has not yet come, store the planting material at temperatures of 17.5-18 degrees. A balcony and a cool veranda are ideal.
Common mistakes
Summer residents often make mistakes that negatively affect the appearance of flowers. Among the most common are:
- wrong disembarkation period. Flowers should be planted depending on the region of residence. Many summer residents plant bulbs not in September, but in August. As a result, the bulbs sprout prematurely and die;
- excessive effort when planting bulbs. In order not to damage the planting material, you should prepare the holes before planting, and not forcefully press them into the ground;
- absence or improper processing of bulbs. In order for the bulbs to delight with abundant flowering, it is important to carry out treatment before planting. This process will protect not only from diseases, but also pests;
- use of nitrogen fertilizers. It is necessary to plant bulbs in the ground in September only after the correct selection of fertilizers. It is prohibited to use nitrogen fertilizers. Otherwise, the plant will begin to intensively form young shoots and may die;
- incorrectly chosen landing site. In order for tulips to bloom profusely and delight throughout the spring, you should choose open areas that are well lit by the sun. In the shade, flower buds become small and quickly turn yellow.
In order to prevent possible problems during cultivation, you must be careful about planting and caring for the flower crop.
Caring for tulips
Even if you plant tulips according to the table of favorable days, they may still not germinate or produce meager small buds if proper care was not taken during cultivation. It boils down to this:
- Do not allow excess liquid to get in, protect the soil from being moistened with melt water, otherwise the bulbs will be easily affected by fungal diseases.
- In winter, mice are in a state of foodlessness, so they can also attack flower bulbs. To prevent their attacks, fill the flowerbed with spruce or pine spruce branches to a thickness of 15-20 cm. The thorny branches will become an obstacle to the penetration of rodents under the soil.
- In central Russia, rooted tulips tolerate frost well. In regions with harsh and long winters, for example, in Siberia or the Urals, it is recommended to further insulate the soil by covering it or spruce branches with hay. You should also regularly pile snow on the flowerbed and make sure that bare soil is not visible.
Influence of lunar phases
In order for the tulip inflorescences to bloom together in the spring, you should adhere to the lunar calendar, which makes it easy to find out when to plant tulips in open ground in the fall in 2022.
Also, such a graph of the lunar phases will help calculate the time for other agricultural work:
- watering;
- application of fertilizers;
- loosening the soil;
- weeding the beds.
Gardeners choose successful days according to the lunar calendar, so the bulbs will not rot in autumn weather or be damaged by pests and diseases. Consequently, they will successfully take root during the winter and give a friendly push when the snow melts in the spring.
The Earth's natural satellite influences all living objects. During certain periods, this planet helps to activate the energy of all living things, including plants.
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In general, tulip bulbs should be planted in prepared open ground in the fall, taking into account the weather in the region in 2022. Depending on climatic conditions, in some they are planted in mid-September, in others at the end of the first autumn month, and in the south such work can be carried out in early October.
If the wrong day is chosen during this short period, the plants will die or take root poorly, as a result of which they will not receive additional nutrition in the future and the flowers will be weak.
The lunar month is 28 days. During this time, the planet revolving around the Earth passes through all the constellations of the Zodiac, staying in them for 2-3 days. During the month, four phases of the moon replace each other:
- new moon, when the planet is not visible at all in the sky;
- growing phase;
- full moon;
- decreasing.
On a new moon, all the juices in plants from the root system tend upward to the leaves. Tulips planted these days may germinate by the time cold weather sets in and die.
During the waning phase, nutrients enter the root system from the soil more actively. This will help tulip bulbs planted in the fall to take root and begin to develop when spring arrives.
It is important to correlate the lunar phases with the onset of the period of desired temperatures in the environment. It is recommended to monitor day and night temperatures in your region in the fall to understand when you can plant tulips in open ground
Suitable conditions must be created for them.
This flower takes three weeks to take root. In Southern Kazakhstan, in Almaty in September, the air can warm up to +20-23 degrees during the day, and in central Russia at this time the temperature is slightly lower.
Gardeners in the central regions of the Russian Federation, the Urals and Siberia need to take into account the time of the lunar phases for September. In warm climates, the dates may shift to October or even November.
