The tulip can rightly be called the favorite of gardeners all over the planet. This flower captivates with its beauty, riot of colors, a variety of forms. Achievements of modern selection allow you to observe bright flowers tulips on the flower beds, garden plots, balconies from the first days of spring to the very summer . Caring for them and growing them is not a complicated process, but requires certain knowledge and skills. About how to grow a tulip from a bulb to a bud on its own in a plot is described in this article.
Choose varieties of tulips
To date, many varieties of this flower have been bred. But not all of them are suitable for outdoor cultivation. When purchasing tulip bulbs, check with the seller when this species blooms. For growing in an open area, plants are suitable, the budding period of which falls at the end of April - beginning of June. Such are the varieties Diplomat, Oxford, London, Negrita, Aristocrat. If you plant in open ground bulbs that are bred for growing in hotbeds, they will come out weak and sick or simply will not sprout.
Preparation of soil for the forcing of tulips
In late September - early October, you need to prepare a site where tulips will grow. The place of planting of these flowers must meet the following requirements:
- good lighting;
- protection from cold and strong wind;
- flat surface of the plot;
- fertile soil layer not less than 40 cm;
- good soil properties: friability, breathability, moisture capacity.
But the land in garden plots is not always suitable for growing bulbs in its composition. In this case, it can be enriched by applying special fertilizers and top dressing (humus, peat, river sand).
How to plant a tulip?
Growing and caring for bulb plants begins with planting them in the ground. This procedure is carried out in the fall, when the air temperature drops to + 9 ° C. Flowers are planted to a depth of 15-20 cm. There should be a distance of at least 10 cm between them. For the prevention of diseases, you can treat the bulbs with fungicide before planting (Fundozol, Euparen, Topsin). To do this, you need to dissolve 30 g of the drug in a bucket of water and hold the tulips there for about half an hour. If the autumn is warm, then the landing site can be watered.
Tulip: growing and care in the spring and summer
Tulip sprouts appear in March, as soon as warm sunny days arrive. During this period, you need to feed the plants with nitrogen (30 g), potassium (20 g) and phosphorus (30 g). Dilute all fertilizers immediately in a bucket of water and pour under shoots.
A tulip grows very quickly in spring. Cultivation and care during this period consists in regular soil cultivation and timely watering.
When cutting the bud, it is necessary to leave 2 lower leaves, so that the bulb has what to eat on and develop normally. If the tulip remains until flowering on the stem, then you need to cut its seed box so that the plant’s strength is not spent on the development of unnecessary seeds. After budding, tulips need to be treated again with fertilizers based on potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
During the yellowing of leaves on tulips, the bulbs should be dug up and treated with fungicide in the same way as before planting. Then, dry for several days in a dry, shaded area. For storage, fold the bulbs in a ventilated container or cloth bag and leave in the dark until autumn.
To make your spring garden bright and beautiful, plant a tulip flower. Growing and caring for him is a very exciting activity. By listening to the recommendations presented in this article, you can independently grow beautiful flowers.