When planting tulip bulbs

Spring garden work begins. Many happy owners of dachas and household plots often want to benefit not only in a practical sense (to grow vegetables), but also in aesthetic ones. For this, of course, you will need flowers. And here, in order for your site to bloom throughout the season, it is important to choose an assortment of planted flowers.

One of the early spring flowering plants is a tulip. There are earlier, mid-flowering and late varieties. You can choose several types (it’s good that they have enough tulips) or to stop growing one.

The cultivation of tulips begins with planting, so for many gardeners the priority is the question: "When is the best time to plant tulip bulbs?"

When to plant tulip bulbs?

Many people know that there are spring and autumn planting periods. In the autumn they plant more sensitive, unstable species, so that during the winter they will be hardened in the ground and for the next year will not create problems for the owner. Tulips are in the group of such plants. They are planted most often in the fall.

You can plant tulips in the spring, but certain varieties. After all, for some types and varieties of tulips autumn planting is a must.

The best time for planting tulips in the middle zone of our country falls on the period from mid-September to early October. This period is most favorable for the conditions for planting tulip bulbs.

Soil temperature in early autumn is about 9 ° С. And the temperature is very important during the first 3-4 weeks. The bulbs can then, without harm, perceive a decrease in the temperature of the soil, passing excellent hardening in the spring.

When to dig tulip bulbs?

• No matter how much the owner would like, after the flowering, the tulips will have to be dug up, more precisely, they will have to dig out their bulbs. After all, a tulip is an annual plant. And in the second year it does not grow. If you do not dig out the bulbs - the plant simply will not give more beautiful flowers.
• The best time for digging tulip bulbs - after full flowering. This period in the middle latitudes of the country is at the beginning of the summer. To be precise, from mid-June to July.
• For each variety of tulips their individual terms of digging bulbs, as well as the timing of planting. The main thing, even despite the recommended digging time, is to do it in time, otherwise genetically reproducible material will not work.
• Too early digging of tulip bulbs is fraught with a deterioration in the decorative qualities of a further flowering plant. Therefore, at the first signs of yellowing of the tips of the leaves, do not dig out the plant, because the bulbs are not yet ready!
• When too late digging possible loss of reproduction of tulips. Make sure that the leaves of the plant do not reach the moment, resembling a dry rustling paper. In this case, talking about the good germination of bulbs next year is hard.

• To avoid the loss of the bulbs and the loss of their reproduction after digging, it is necessary to ensure that during the process of extracting them from the soil, the bulbs are not damaged and no infection has penetrated.
• It is best to prevent undesirable consequences in the following way: before digging, carefully remove the top layer of the earth so that the "tops" of the bulbs become visible from the ground. However, this must be done very carefully so as not to damage them accidentally with a shovel. For safety do not use sharp objects, it is better to take not a shovel, but a plastic scoop.
• Experienced growers, even without knowing the timing of digging bulbs for specific varieties of tulips, determine their own leaves. When the top two leaves of the plant are completely yellow, and the bottom becomes yellowish-green, you can start digging the bulbs.

How to store tulip bulbs?

One can not say a few words about the storage of tulip bulbs. After all, it is important not only to dig out the bulbs neatly and in time, but also to preserve them.

• Freshly dug plant bulbs should not be placed in the open sun. They need fresh air, but in the shade.
• When separating the daughter bulbs, you must be extremely careful not to damage them!
• Store the bulbs in a closed, but ventilated area. Humidity should not be higher than 70%. And optimal storage temperature - 20 ° C-22 ° C.

Remember that in order to successfully plant tulip bulbs, it is important not only to know the timing of planting, you must use reproductive bulbs. It is possible to achieve good quality of daughter tulip bulbs only by observing the storage conditions of the mother bulbs that were dug out correctly and in time!