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Selecting and Planting Tulips
Planting
For
best results, tulips need a fertile, well drained soil in a sunny
location. Thoroughly loosen the soil under the bulbs for optimum
drainage. Tulip bulbs must be planted in
in order to develop a
root system and to satisfy the cold requirement of the bulbs. It
is best to wait until soil temperatures are below 60 degrees F before
planting.
Plant
the tulip bulb 4 to 5 inches deep and about the same distance apart. A
trowel is the ideal tool for planting tulips, and make sure they are
planted deep enough - shallow planting is the main cause of failure with
tulips. Finally,
add a sprinkling of bonemeal over the soil above the tulip bulbs.
Selecting
Healthy Bulbs
The key rule is, the bigger the tulip bulb the better the tulip. Look for
large bulbs with no signs of mould - small nicks on the bulb are not
important.
Plant your tulip bulbs as soon as possible upon arrival, but if you must store your bulbs, keep
them cool and dry with plenty of ventilation.