The closer the spring, the more you want flowers. But not imported, alien and unusually cold, but ours that bloomed in a flower bed or bloomed on an alpine hill. Multi-colored tulips are among the first to bloom. “Even a rose cannot compare with its virgin charm,” said one of the eastern sages about a tulip. This is a divine flower - they say in Turkey, where the tulip can be found literally everywhere: on the country's ancient coat of arms, on fabrics, dishes or carpets.
Grace of form and brightness of color made the flower one of the most beloved by people. Only a few plants can become rivals of tulips in variety and sophistication of forms. Goblet-shaped, lilac-colored, pion-shaped, fringed, parrot ... A variety of varieties allows you to choose the perfect flowers that will delight from April to June. And then they fade ...
Actually, a tulip is an unpretentious plant. Flowers can live in the shade, put up with any soil, even frequent watering and constant dressing they do not need. They only need to fulfill one rule implicitly: dig bulbs on time.
When to dig out tulips? How to find the optimal period, then to grow a healthy and strong plant? Some beginner growers count it from the moment when the flowering ends. But such a method is undesirable. After all, the period of full ripening of the bulb will depend not only on time, but also on the depth of planting, the sum of the temperatures during the growing season. For example, in hot and dry weather, the bulb ripens faster than in rainy and cool. Its ripening time will be reduced if heat occurs immediately after flowering. Therefore, it is better to establish the earliest date when it is better to dig out the flowers, and then navigate it.
The fact that the bulbs are already ripe and the time has come to dig up tulips can be recognized by the leaves. As soon as the leaves of the plant turn yellow and become soft and lethargic, it is necessary, without waiting for them to dry completely, to make an initial, test dig.
After digging a dozen plants, you need to carefully look at the surface of the bulbs. Bulk digging of tulips is done when 80-90% of the bulbs on their covering pale yellow scales appear brown spots or dots. Do not be afraid that dug bulbs seem immature. Later, during storage, they ripen, and their light hiding scales will turn into brown. Next, the bulbs are dried, peeled and sized.
In the case when it is too early to dig out tulip bulbs , do not rush. Leave them for some more time in the ground - it will only benefit them. In time of dug and properly dried flower bulbs, the scales do not crack until storage is complete, even if the temperature in the room fluctuates significantly. The bulb does not dry out, is not infected by pests and pathogens of viral diseases. In the case when to dig tulips on time, the bulb increases resistance to fusarium. Thanks to this method of digging flowers, it is possible to remove the bulbs almost without loss. They do not disintegrate into scales and whole, of a light shade, are clearly visible in the ground. Well, in addition to everything, the vacant garden can be planted with flowers again. Annuals will perfectly close all bald spots on the flowerbed.
Of course, excavation must be done on time. Too early harvesting of bulbs, just like belated ones, will certainly affect the quality of planting material. If you dig up tulips too early, this will affect the ability to reproduce and the decorative qualities of the flower. In the middle zone, the end of June - the beginning of July - this is exactly the best time to dig out tulips best. Moreover, this must be done very quickly, do not tighten, so that the ripened bulbs do not crack.
They say that the flower of a yellow tulip keeps happiness in itself, and only sincere laughter can open the bud. But tulips of any color carry in themselves a real piece of spring, and, therefore, joy and happiness.