How wonderful it is to look out the window in spring and enjoy the riot of colors, incredible tenderness and beauty at a time when tulips are blooming! Transplanting at the right time, to the right place and in a competent way is the key to regular luxurious flowering of these garden flowers in your personal plot. So, we will understand each of these questions in more detail.
Tulip transplantation: when is the best time to do this?
To choose the most suitable time for tulip transplantation, you need to consider the fact that their growth and development proceed in two stages: first, the underground part (bulbs and roots) develops, and then the aboveground part (leaves and, most importantly, flowers). Tulips, which are transplanted in the fall, will feel most comfortable, and subject to a number of requirements, they will bloom in the spring, because in the fall even young plants will have time to form a bulb, grow roots, and only then die until spring.
So, if you notice that after flowering is over, the tulip leaves are more than half yellow and the stem is soft, it’s time to start preparing for the transplant. This happens, as a rule, at the end of June. At this time, the bulbs are dug up and stored for storage in a dry place, shaded from sunlight.
Choose a place to change
Tulips, which are transplanted to a site with loose, fertile soil and good lighting, where waterlogging and water accumulation are not observed, will certainly delight you with abundant flowering every season. However, it should be remembered that tulip bulbs feel comfortable in the same place without a transplant for no more than 2–2.5 years.
Tulips: replanting and care of planting material
October is coming. This means that it is time to deal directly with the very process of planting tulip bulbs in a new place. Bulbs dug in the summer are taken out, sorted, and the dried out ones are discarded (usually their number does not even reach 10%). There are many folk recipes on how to prepare the bulbs for planting so that they are not afraid of diseases and pests, for example, soak the bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate or hold for a while in an airtight bag with garlic cloves.
It is very important to choose the correct depth for planting the bulbs. Tulips that are transplanted too deep will suffer from a lack of light and air and may even die. Experienced gardeners recommend planting bulbs to a depth equal to the triple height of the bulb. With the onset of the first frosts, you can cover the area where the tulips were planted with a layer of hay.
As you can see, the process of transplanting tulips is not at all as complicated as it seems at first glance, although it requires some attention. But the result is certainly worth it, because tulips are a symbol of the arrival of spring, the awakening of nature, one of the first garden flowers that delight us after a long cold winter. Surround them with care and attention in the fall, and next season your flowerbed will certainly sparkle with bright colors!