TOP TIPS FOR TULIPS CARE |The Garden of Eaden

Top tips for tulip care

You must have a heart of stone if you can't appreciate the beauty of tulips. Compact, colourful, and highly ornamental, no wonder they were placed in such high regard by early garden designers. Gone are the days of exorbitant prices of tulip bulbs during Dutch 'Tulipmania' (a period in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for tulip bulbs reached extraordinarily high levels), however as inexpensive as they are today they should still be cherished and cultivated.

Of course the growers would rather you just plant and forget and then replant the following year, but to get the best out of tulips you just need to give them a little care. So, read on to see my top tips for tulip care.

1. Tulip bulbs will grow best in a fertile, sandy soil situated in an open and sunny location; however they should be protected from excessive damp and strong winds.

2. If you're growing tulips in containers don't forget to water them during early spring if the weather is unseasonably dry and warm. They can quickly dry out especially if strong winds are prone.

3. After flowering, most varieties benefit from being lifted and stored in a dry place until the autumn. Other varieties, particularly the Kaufmanniana hybrids and species tulips, can be left in the ground, and allowed to spread naturally.

4. Traditionally, tulips were planted in the autumn before the first frosts arrived. However they tend to do far better being planted later, anywhere from November to as late as January. This will also help to reduce the incidence of fungal infection during the earlier wet weather. Once planted give them a good top dressing.

5. Start to water your bulbs when you see the buds beginning to rise as this will encourage larger blooms and taller stems.

6. For long-term tulip displays, allow the old foliage to dry off before cutting it back. This will allow most of the plants nutrients to be absorbed back into the bulb proper in readiness for next year's show.

7. On the whole tulips are reasonably tough when it comes to pest and disease; however some of the more fancy varieties such as the parrot tulips can be prone to slug and snail damage before they even emerge from the ground. Once the ground begins to thaw in the spring it is best practice to commerce your preferred method of slug and snail control.