Multi-colored and single-colored, with fringe, high and low - all these characteristics apply to tulips. These are one of the most common flowers in all Russian flower beds. All gardeners eagerly await the flowering period to admire the fruits of their labors.
When can you dig up tulip bulbs?
However, after they bloomed, large number summer residents are wondering about proper care, because summer is ahead. So that tulips please with generous flowering and next year, it is important to provide proper care to their bulbs.
The bulb accumulates in itself throughout the summer useful substances. She needs strength to raise her children. It would also be wrong to trim the leaves after the flower has withered. Everyone knows that the process of photosynthesis occurs in them. Without leaves, the bulb will not receive nutrients. The second reason why you should not cut off the top of the plant is that you can damage the bulb, since it will be impossible to immediately find it in the ground.
It is worth digging up tulips in June or focusing on flowering - after 4-6 weeks. If the leaves have wilted and turned yellow, they can also be dug up.
Since the bulbs go deeper and deeper into the ground over time, you need to dig the tulip deeper and carefully remove the bulb with the children. Next, you will need to tear off the roots and dried stems.
A ripe onion will have dense brown scales that will need to be removed. Upon careful examination of the bulb and its pronounced fungal infection, it must be disinfected with a fungicide.
You don’t have to immediately tear off the stems and roots, but put the bulbs in one layer in the shade for 10 days. Only after the leaves wither can they be torn off. Next, you can begin to calibrate the planting material - separate the adult bulbs and children, putting them in different boxes.
Containers must be placed in a well-ventilated place, where direct sun rays. It is important to take care of the temperature regime - for the first 2 months the temperature should be about 20-25 degrees.
Immediately 2-3 weeks before planting, it can be lowered by 5 degrees.
How to treat tulip bulbs after digging them up
To planting material tulips have been preserved, you need to take care of their storage. After all the bulbs have been dug up, you need to start processing them, rinse them with cold running water. To avoid diseases and pest attacks, it is recommended to disinfect them in a solution of karbofos. You can also just leave them in 50 degree water for 10 minutes. Double treatment with a solution of potassium permanganate is also suitable. And only after such manipulations are done, the bulbs are ready for drying.
During drying and storage, do not forget that it is necessary to inspect them. Bulbs that are too soft and damaged by yellow or white coating should be removed immediately.
Some experienced gardeners For the winter, place the tulip bulbs in the refrigerator, where they will be stored at a temperature of 3-5 degrees. However, it is important to remember that these conditions are not suitable for all varieties.
The most favorable way for the bulbs will be to store them on a peat bed. To do this you need to take plastic bag, make small holes in it. 10 cm of peat is poured into the bottom of the bag, the bulbs are laid out, which are also covered with a 12-13 cm layer of peat. In this way, several layers of bulbs can be placed. The storage temperature should not be higher than 3-5 degrees Celsius.
Proper planting of tulips in the fall is the key to their early and longest flowering. Knowing when and where, and most importantly, how to plant a decorative crop correctly, you can get excellent results and beautifully decorate local area or garden plot.
When is it better to plant tulips: autumn or spring?
How and where to store bulbs before autumn planting
When storing tulip bulbs until autumn planting, certain requirements must be met:
- on initial stage storage temperature regime should be approximately 23–25 o C;
- by the onset of August, the temperature in the storage should be reduced to 20 o C;
- about a week before planting in open ground flower beds, the temperature drops to 15 o 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 flower growers It is recommended to wrap flower bulbs with newspaper paper, which will prevent the development of diseases, rotting or excessive drying.
How to treat bulbs before planting
Pre-planting treatment is very important stage, which improves survival rate and prevents diseases and pests of ornamental crops. For this purpose, industrial preparations or time-tested folk remedies can be used.
Main preparation techniques:
- Peeling the bulbs.
- Visual analysis of planting material for damage and contamination by pathogenic microflora.
- Sorting bulbs according to size.
- Disinfection procedure.
Hard covering scales are removed from the planting material, under which hidden foci of infection are most often located.
Peeled bulbs better absorb nutrition from the soil
After cleaning and thorough examination The bulbs are sorted by diameter.
Traditionally, a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate or the modern antifungal drug “Fundazol” is used to treat planting material, 15 g of which is dissolved in 5 liters of water.
Available for sale wide range the latest treatment products, which protect the bulbs and stimulate growth processes in them.
Is it worth fertilizing the soil?
For growing tulips, flower beds with light, sandy loam, and humus-rich soils are selected. Sandy and heavy soil for such flower culture unsuitable. IN clay soil Coarse river sand must be added, and too light sandy soil can be improved with humus, peat or turf soil.
Material on how to care for the soil at your dacha will also be useful:
Best ornamental plant thrives in flower beds that are well-lit, without stagnant water and well protected from gusts of cold wind, but late-flowering varieties can be placed in partial shade. Too much shade causes the bulbs to shrink.
To combat high groundwater levels, drainage ditches are installed at a depth of half a meter
Excess quantity organic matter can negatively affect the flowering process. In this case, the flowers have irregular shape, and all developing peduncles differ in curvature. When applying fresh manure in any quantity, rotting of the plant roots is often observed, so such daughter bulbs are unsuitable for propagation.
Green manure plants plowed into the soil, as well as pre-disinfected compost, have a good effect on the growth and development of tulips. It is very important that the soil of the flower garden has a neutral or alkaline reaction; for this purpose, measures are taken to liming the soil. However, in a number of countries, the application of fertilizers when growing tulips is considered extremely harmful. In addition to organic matter, the application of mineral fertilizers, which have a positive effect on flowering time and bulb size, is of no small importance.
How to plant tulips in open ground
Immediately after the dressing procedure, the planting material is planted on previously prepared flower beds. Missed planting time threatens swelling of the bulbs and reduced germination. For planting, it is necessary to make special grooves, the depth of which is about 10–15 cm.
The standard planting interval between bulbs is approximately 9–10 cm, but on heavy soils planting is done at a shallow depth
On light soil, the bulbs are planted deeper. Among other things, varietal characteristics influence planting depth:
- bulbs of extra-class varieties are buried 15–18 cm;
- planting material of II-III analysis is planted to a depth of 10–12 cm;
- children are planted with a slight depth.
On dry soil, furrows need to be shed generously with settled, warm water. Fertilizer is applied to the bottom if such an event was not carried out during the digging process. It is lightly sprinkled with sand, after which the bulbs are planted with the bottom down. To minimize the risk of root breakage, planting material should not be pressed strongly into the ground, and before backfilling, the bulbs are lightly powdered with regular wood ash. Tulips are planted in the old flower garden after about 3–4 years.
How to plant in boxes and containers
Growing tulips in boxes and containers is very popular in many countries, including Russia.
The container should be spacious, which will allow you to plant a large number of bulbs
The marking of the site for placing containers is carried out in the autumn, around September. In the excavated planting pits Containers or boxes are placed, the bottom of which is filled with sand, after which tulip bulbs are planted. Their placement pattern varies between 4–15 cm and directly depends on the size of the planting material and the variety of ornamental crop. All bulbs are sprinkled with nutritious soil substrate, after which the planting is mulched with a two-centimeter layer of humus or peat.
What care do tulips need after planting?
If all planting rules are strictly followed, in about 4 weeks the bulbs will acclimatize and form a powerful, healthy and strong root system.
Ornamental bulbous crops are not too demanding to care for, but require sufficient care and attention from the moment the first leaves form until preparation for winter
Caring for the plant after planting involves:
- irrigation measures, which should be especially abundant at the stage of bud set and during the period of mass flowering;
- the regime of abundant watering must be maintained for two weeks after flowering;
- regular removal of all weeds in flower beds, as well as shallow loosening of the soil around ornamental crops;
- threefold application of fertilizers.
To feed tulips, special liquid preparations or products in granular form are used, which should be applied three times during the growing season:
- during the period of formation of the first shoots, fertilizing is carried out with a mixture based on a couple of parts of nitrogen, the same amount of phosphorus salts, and also part of potassium compounds;
- at the stage of green bud formation, the ornamental crop is fed with nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which are applied in a ratio of 1:2:2;
- Immediately after flowering, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used without the addition of nitrogen components.
An important procedure included in the standard care of tulips is trimming faded flowers and peduncles. This event promotes good ripening of the bulbs, which subsequently become very high-quality and productive planting material.
Growing tulips in open ground is a fascinating and not at all difficult activity. However, it is precisely compliance with all the rules of autumn planting and a competent approach to caring for decorative culture becomes a guarantee of receiving beautiful flower garden and healthy bulbs suitable for plant propagation.
Tulip lovers treat the process of growing this flower extremely responsibly. This is especially true for the time, conditions and rules of planting. After all, the quality and duration of flowering depends on how competently everything is done. In addition, some varieties may degenerate and disappear if the nuances of cultivation are not observed. How to plant tulips at home will be described in the article.
The best time to plant tulips is from mid-September to the end of October. True, a lot here also depends on the climate of the cultivation region. For example, in northern regions It is advisable to plant in early September. In the south, work usually begins at the end of October. For middle zone The period from mid-September to mid-October is suitable.
In order to correctly determine the timing of planting tulips, it is useful to know the optimal soil temperature. If the temperature of the earth at a depth of about 10 centimeters is +10 degrees, it is allowed to begin activities. Warmer soil will cause the flower to germinate before winter and not bloom in the spring. Undesirable and more late boarding. Then the bulb will not take root before frost, and the seedling will not have time to take root. So you should focus on the weather forecast.
Timely planting of tulips in the fall gives good results: the plant takes root well and enjoys long-term flowering.
Beginning gardeners often wonder whether it is possible to carry out planting work in the spring. Of course, autumn is best. 
However, planting tulips in February or March is also possible. Planted bulbs, if agricultural practices are followed, take root quite well. The main thing is that the daytime temperature is at +8-10 degrees.
The question arises why spring planting tulips are considered less preferable than autumn. The thing is that the bulbs that were planted in the spring begin to bloom noticeably later than those that the summer resident planted before winter. For rapid germination, the crop needs a cooling period. Only then will the bulbs begin to form substances that are needed for intensive growth and development.
Typically, wild tulips germinate immediately after the snow melts. In flower beds and greenhouses, gardeners strive to create similar conditions for cultivated varieties. If for some reason the planting does not take place in the fall, tulips are planted in March or February. Even landing in early December is acceptable. But in this case, the bed is covered with dry leaves or spruce branches, and a layer of snow is poured on top so that the planting material does not freeze.
To ensure that planting tulips in the ground in the spring is successful and gives quick results, it makes sense to place the material in the refrigerator the day before the procedure. After this, rinse the tubers with a weak manganese solution. Then the flowering period will come much faster. But planting tulips in pots in spring is always allowed. After all, it’s easy to create in the house optimal conditions for germination and development of culture. In this case, the bulbs are first planted and germinated in the apartment, and when the threat of frost has passed, they are transferred to the summer cottage.
How to store bulbs?
If you plan to plant tulips in the autumn, it is advisable to purchase material in the summer and store it in a certain way until planting. The question of how to store tulip bulbs before planting is relevant for most novice gardeners. Typically, purchased tubers are placed in a cool, dark, dry place. Optimal temperature The range is considered to be from +15 to +18 degrees. A basement or cellar will do. The only thing is that the room should not be damp.
And if you plan to plant your own tulips growing in the garden, perform the following actions. In June, tubers are dug up. Then dry them thoroughly fresh air. At the same time, you need to cover them from direct rays of the sun. Otherwise the bulbs will dry out. Next, the material is freed from the husks and full-fledged children are separated. Place in a dark, dry and cool place. Thus, knowing how to store tulips before planting, you can save money and get beautiful plants from the collected bulbs next season.
How to successfully plant tulips?
In order for planting tulip bulbs to be successful, you need to know agricultural technology and strictly follow the rules and recommendations of experienced gardeners.
This kind of work is not difficult. Implies wise choice places, purchasing land or preparing a good substrate yourself, planting and care itself. Let's look at how to plant tulips in the country, in a greenhouse and at home, and how to properly care for them.
Planting flowers in the garden
If you are planting tulips in open ground, you should choose a well-lit and windless place. This culture simply cannot tolerate drafts. The area must be level and protected from exposure groundwater. In order for the plant to develop well, you need to choose fertile and loose soil that allows air and moisture to pass through well. Tulips prefer substrates with moderate or neutral acidity. Perfect fit loamy soils, sandy loams that are rich in humus. But in the case of using other soil mixtures, periodic fertilizing will be required.
If you plan to plant tulips in sandy soil, you must take into account the fact that such a surface dries out very quickly. And there are few nutrients in it. To eliminate such shortcomings, plants are watered more often than usual and mineral mixtures are added. With clay and heavy substrates the situation is worse. To make them suitable for growing tulips, you need to add coarse river sand, rotted manure and peat. Thus, water permeability will increase. To reduce the acidity of peat, use lime or chalk. It is recommended to loosen heavy soils more often.
When choosing a location, it is also good to take into account what plants grew here before. For example, flowers and vegetable crops. But if there were bulbous or nightshade plants here before, it is advisable to look for another area, otherwise there is a risk of infection with viral diseases. When the place where Dutch tulips or plants of other varieties will be planted has been selected, preparatory activities. They are as follows. In spring, add to the soil organic fertilizers, which decompose slowly. Compost or rotted manure is especially suitable.
Only high-quality and healthy tubers are suitable for cultivation. Therefore, before planting tulips in a pot or garden, you should carefully inspect them for signs of infection or damage. The planting material that was collected independently is soaked in a manganese solution for about half an hour. Store-bought tulip bulbs do not need to be treated in any way before planting. All necessary measures these have already been done at the garden centre.
The landing algorithm is as follows:
- Prepare the beds. They are made about a meter wide with transverse or longitudinal grooves. Any length is allowed.
- The tubers are gently pressed into the furrows. The main thing is not to damage the root zone. The depth of planting tulips depends on the size of the bulb, as well as the type of soil. If the substrate is light, planting is done deeper than when using heavy soil. The distance between rows should be maintained at 20 centimeters. The tubers are placed at intervals of 10 centimeters.
- Sprinkle a layer of earth on top.
Tulip flowers are often planted using a tube. This method gives a very good result. To implement it, you should take a metal tube with a diameter of 5 centimeters. It is important that it has a piston that can be fixed. Dig a hole and place the material in it. The soil is pushed out using a piston. This method has a number of advantages. The bulbs are planted correctly, which protects them from damage. Yes, and hands autumn planting they won't freeze.
If mass planting of tulips is planned, the following actions are carried out. First, a layer of earth about 15 centimeters thick is removed from the site. Then they lay out the tubers and sprinkle them with soil. This technology makes it possible to create original floral pattern when planting varieties of different colors.
Growing in a greenhouse
Creating necessary conditions planting tulips, there is every chance to get a healthy and beautiful flowering plant. This is especially easy to do if you have a greenhouse at your disposal. Then it is possible to force the crop by a certain date. When growing flowers in a greenhouse, the gardener sets the desired temperature level, regulates humidity and light.
Before planting tulips in a greenhouse, a number of preparatory measures are carried out:
When all preparatory activities are completed, the actual disembarkation begins. It is necessary to maintain a distance of 1.5 centimeters between the holes. The optimal pit depth is no more than 4 centimeters. Then they are planted in exactly the same way as on open area. Allows correct landing get tulips for forcing beautiful plant by the required date.
Planting tulips at home
At home, tulips are grown using forcing technology. That is, they are created artificial conditions, as close as possible to natural ones. Special attention Here you should pay attention to cooling the tubers. In an open area, the flower goes through a stage of winter rest. Forcing allows you to control the temperature regime. Which means fresh flowers can be obtained early spring or even in the middle of winter.
Tulips are prepared before planting in the same way as when grown in a garden or greenhouse. They are usually planted at the end of September. Pots with a depth of at least 15 centimeters are suitable. It is also allowed to plant tulips in a vegetable box. But before this, the container must be thoroughly cleaned. Take rack sand, humus and sod land. Mix everything and add a little wood ash. The result is a substrate with a neutral reaction and good water permeability. Place drainage at the bottom of the container. Pour prepared soil on top. Place the bulbs and cover them with soil to the tops. Irrigate and place the container in a dark and cool place with high level humidity.
Caring for tulips
Caring for tulips begins in open ground with the arrival of spring. At this time, the first shoots are already appearing. All unsprouted tubers are dug up, otherwise there is a risk of illnesses. When the buds begin to form and bloom, water abundantly and regularly. Due to the structural features of the root zone, tulips are not able to receive moisture from deep layers of soil. Therefore, irrigation is an important element of care. Water also abundantly for 2 weeks after the flowering period.
The crop also needs loosening and weeding of the soil. Such events make it possible to retain moisture longer. All weeds should be removed promptly. After all, they cause depletion of tulips and can infect them with fungal infections. Wilted buds should also be cut off. Only the leaves are left untouched. The more greenery there is on the plant, the more nutrients the bulb will receive.
Involves care and application mineral mixtures three times a season. In the spring, when the first shoots form, elements such as potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen are needed. During the formation and opening of buds, the same substances are used. But the dose of potassium and phosphorus is increased, and nitrogen - reduced. Upon completion of flowering, feed a third time. For this purpose, mixtures containing phosphorus and potassium in equal quantities are used. To stimulate the development of young bulbs, it is advisable to add a little zinc and boron to the solution.
Regardless of whether tulips were planted at home or in a greenhouse, understand what kind of fertilizer is needed at the moment necessary, easy appearance culture. If the edges of the leaf blade turn blue, this means that there is a deficiency of potassium and phosphorus. Drooping and narrow leaves indicate a lack of nitrogen. It is advisable to use fertilizers in liquid form. If the dry mixture gets on the above-ground part of the crop, a burn will occur. When using dry nutrients, their application must be combined with irrigation.
How to extend the flowering period?
All gardeners strive to extend the flowering period. If the crop is grown at home, for this purpose the pots with tulips are taken out to the balcony at night, and the leaves are sprayed during the day warm water, avoiding moisture on the buds.
Below are tips that will help extend the flowering phase, regardless of whether a tulip is growing at home, in the garden or in a greenhouse:
- The flower should not be exposed to bright sunshine.
- The plant needs to be protected from exposure strong wind and drafts.
- Flower pots should be kept away from heating appliances.
- It is better to use filtered or settled water for irrigation. It is advisable that it be at room temperature.
- Tulips should be cut close to the surface of the soil. The operation is carried out early in the morning before irrigation.
Conclusions about planting tulips
Thus, tulips can often be seen on garden plots, in parks, on the windowsills of city apartments. This flower is a symbol of spring and femininity. Characterized by beauty and unpretentiousness in content. True, for getting beautiful flourishing culture It is important to know how to choose and plant bulbs correctly, and how to care for them. This article provided some recommendations from experts. By following them, planting will be easy and will bring the expected results. Check out the article:
Experienced flower growers know: to turn your garden into a real greenhouse under open air, you should start forcing spring plants in advance. Today we will talk about how to plant tulips not only beautifully, but also correctly.
First of all, you need to competently approach the choice of seed material. These must be healthy bulbs that have gone through a period of stratification (preliminary exposure to low temperatures). The size of the bulb indicates the state of its health. Therefore, it is better to opt for large seed without the slightest damage.
Before planting, experienced gardeners recommend carrying out a little prevention of plant diseases. To do this, you need to peel the bulbs and place them in a 5% solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. 
Planting in groups
The variety of plants is also important: if you have a great desire to buy several bulbs different varieties, you should abandon such an idea. The fact is that tulips look very beautiful in the form of a single spot of color. Therefore, the landing of several colorful plants in one place it will resemble a vinaigrette.
Landing depending on height
Flower growers and landscape designers recommend taking into account their height when planting tulips. In this way, you can create a ladder effect by planting varieties with the tallest peduncles in the background, medium ones in the middle, and dwarf varieties in the foreground.
Planting tulips in baskets
Due to the fact that tulip bulbs need to be dug up every year, it is very convenient to plant the plants in small baskets or plastic lattice boxes. This method will also allow you to keep tulips at home on a well-lit windowsill or balcony.
Various combinations
Tulips look very impressive together with hyacinths, pansies or forget-me-nots. 
Bright blue muscari and tulips are another example of a good combination.
Don't be afraid to plant tulips next to trees or flowering shrubs. Louiseania, forsythia, rhododendron and weigela are ideal as beautiful companions for spring flowers.
Tulips in the water Not everyone knows that bulbous plants They feel great even without soil. Read about how to grow tulips in water in our useful article.
Among gardeners, winter forcing of tulips at home, like other bulbous crops, is interesting because it allows you to get delicious flowers by a certain date. How to speed up the germination of bulbs and grow a full-fledged, flowering plant by March 8? Experienced flower growers use a whole range of measures aimed at awakening planting material in an unusual period for it.
Disembarkation dates
The timing of forcing is closely related to biological features tulips. By the time the material for awakening is planted, all the organs of the future flower should be formed. A sufficient amount of nutrients must accumulate in the bulbs. Therefore, strong and large bulbs are selected for planting. The weight of each should not be less than 25 grams.
- Period 1 – planting and rooting of the material. Conditions: in a dark, cool place with a temperature of 5...8 °C. For different varieties, this period can last from 16 to 22 weeks;
- Period 2 – keeping germinated plants warm at a temperature of 12…15 °C. Lighting is moderate. The duration of the period before the buds appear is from 3 to 4 weeks.
Video on forcing tulip bulbs for March 8
The sum of the durations of the periods will allow you to accurately determine the period of forcing planting material at home. All that remains for the novice gardener is to decide on the date for planting the tulip bulbs. Depending on the variety, the following four planting dates are determined:
- Early boarding. Allows you to receive flowers at the end of December, the first ten days of January. Just in time for the New Year holidays.
- Mid-early landing. Will ensure flowering for the Christmas holidays.
- Medium landing. Gives you the opportunity to drive out tulips for Valentine's Day.
- Late disembarkation. Will allow you to prepare for March 8th.
If you plan to receive flowers in more late dates, plan your bulb planting as follows. Subtract from the required date of bud production the duration of both periods necessary for plant growth.
Variety selection
A more precise date of forcing is determined by the variety of tulips, the conditions for harvesting and storing the crop. When choosing a variety, pay attention to plant resistance to diseases. Fungal spores and some viruses long time live in the ground or husks and manifest themselves under favorable conditions. Stores offer dozens of types of tulips, from which you can easily choose the right one. Varietal groups are formed taking into account flowering dates:
Tulip varieties for early forcing
- For early germination of bulbs, early-flowering varieties of tulips are suitable, which are cooled for up to 10-16 weeks. The height of such flowers is 30-40 cm, the bud size reaches 7-8 cm. The flowers have the shape of a bowl or glass. The buds of early flowering varieties open their petals in the sun. Suitable varieties include Bridge Mize, Diamond Star, and Christmas Marvel.
- Varieties of tulips with medium and mid-early forcing need to be kept in less cold than early flowers. These varieties include Darwin hybrids. The height of adult plants reaches 60-80 cm, the height of the buds is 12 cm. Since this is quite large flowers, it is not recommended for inexperienced gardeners to grow them.
- Class 5 tulips are suitable as material for late and very late forcing; their height varies from 60 to 75 cm. The height of the flower does not exceed 10 cm, the shape of the bud is cup-shaped. The following varieties are suitable: Temple of Beauty, Triumph, Aristocrat, Negrita.
Having dropped off late varieties, you will receive beautiful buds for International Women's Day.
Technology
For beginning flower growers, the technology of forcing tulips may seem like a difficult task. In fact, everything is much simpler if you break the whole process into main stages:
- Harvesting and storage of bulbous crops.
- Planting bulbs in a substrate for rooting and germination.
- Direct forcing of plants.
Start preparing tulip bulbs for subsequent forcing in the summer, when growing flowers on the site. Select the healthiest, strongest plants and carefully care for them throughout the growth period. After harvesting, store the bulbous crop for 30 days at 25 °C. In August and September, lower the storage temperature by 3 and 5 °C.
When planting, tulip bulbs are placed in a nutrient substrate with a neutral environment. The planting date depends on the planned timing of the appearance of buds. Planting material is planted in pots with a pitch of 5-10 mm, slightly buried in the soil and watered. The container is then transferred to cold room with a temperature below 9 °C, for 16...22 weeks.
At the third stage, the sprouted bulbs are transferred to warm room and ensure proper temperature conditions. To prevent the plant from getting stressed, the temperature should be within 12...15 °C. Provide the seedlings with dim lighting. The sooner flowering is expected, the sooner they should be transferred to warmth. By the time the containers are moved into the room, the size of the sprouts should be 5-7 cm.
How to prepare bulbs for planting
Before planting tulips from your planting material, prepare the bulbs. Select large and healthy specimens. Remove the covering husk and examine the smooth shell. The procedure will help to identify hidden cuts and damage, and will also speed up the fixation of “nude” in the substrate. Bare bulbs absorb water and fertilizing better.
Healthy tulip bulbs selected for winter forcing, hold in the potassium permanganate solution for 30 minutes. To do this, dissolve a couple of crystals of potassium permanganate in a 0.5 liter jar of water. The procedure will allow the planting material to be disinfected. If there are no means of disinfection, you can immerse the onions in water at a temperature of 40 ° C for 5 minutes.
Preparation of tulip bulbs and nutrient substrate
Substrate preparation
The nutrient medium must have good water and air permeability and a pH of 6.5-7.0. Can be used for planting river sand(it is used by Dutch flower growers) or various sand mixtures(with peat, soil, sawdust). Some gardeners use perlite (a material of volcanic origin).
To make tulip forcing at home ideal, prepare a special nutrient substrate. Mix the soil, manure and compost, keeping the proportions 2:1:1. Add a little to the resulting mixture. Do not take used soil from greenhouses; it may contain harmful microorganisms and fungal spores.
If you plan to use peat or sawdust, pre-treat it with lime mortar. Be especially careful with sawdust. Steamed hardwood sawdust is suitable for germinating flowers. At the same time, make sure that the seedlings in such a substrate do not grow to the side.
Features of planting bulbs
After preparing the soil, all that remains is to figure out how to plant the tulip bulbs. Spread the prepared soil over landing tanks and bury the bulbs there in increments of 5-10 mm. There is no need to deepen the planting, otherwise it will take a long time to break out of the ground. There should be a drainage hole at the bottom of the container to remove excess moisture.
Spray the newly planted tulip bulbs with a solution of calcium nitrate (only 20 grams of fertilizer will be needed per bucket of water). If the soil has sagged after watering, add more on top required quantity substrate. Place the containers with the bulbs to be forced into a room with a temperature just below 10°C. The crops will take up to 22 weeks to strengthen and begin to germinate.
Sequence of planting tulip bulbs for forcing
During the forcing period, sprouted bulbs need periodic watering. The humidity in the room should not drop below 80%. In such conditions, plantings must be maintained until mid-December. In the second half of December, the temperature in the room should be lowered by 2-4 °C so that the sprouts do not stretch too much. 1.5 months before the start of flowering, the containers are transferred to warm room with a temperature of 15 °C.
During the first days, while the tulips get used to the change in regime, keep the light dim in the room. Plants that did not grow as long as the right size in due time, cover with cardboard caps. After a few days, increase the temperature to 18 °C.
Important! To prevent stems from stretching, hang the lamp daylight– turn it on daily for 5-6 hours.
Growing and storage
If you carry out early forcing, there is no point in growing tulips, the plant will not form a full-fledged child and all your efforts will be wasted. You can successfully grow flowers low-growing varieties. To do this, cut the flowers and leaves from the stem, and after three weeks dig up the onion. This method will allow you to obtain medium-sized bulbs.
After flowering has ended, you can leave the foliage on the tulips, cutting off only the buds. Water the stems for 21 days and then remove the bulbs. Some plants respond to this method of maintenance and create a new viable baby. After digging, the bulbs are dried for 14 days at 24 °C, then 30 days at 15-20 °C, then at 15 °C before planting in the soil.
At proper storage, tulip bulbs are well preserved (they do not sprout or spoil). They need to be planted in the soil at the usual time and then grown according to the rules. About 30% of onions grow from March varieties. Early varieties It is not worth growing them, as the result will be small children that will bloom only after 3-4 years.
Forcing tulip bulbs is available not only to professionals, but also to inexperienced gardeners. To see bright buds in winter, you need to follow the technology of growing flowers: store them correctly, maintain the temperature, monitor lighting and humidity. By properly caring for the plantings, you will receive a bouquet bright colors in winter.
