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It is generally believed that planting tulips in spring is not the best solution. Traditionally, this is done in the fall to wait for their bloom in April-May next year. However, it is at the beginning of spring that a wide variety of tulip bulbs appears on sale, having bought which, of course, I really want to quickly find a place for them in the garden, root and enjoy the results. It also happens that for some reason the grower does not have the opportunity or time to plant tulips before winter. In this case, you can carry out a spring planting. The most important thing is to do it correctly, taking into account the climate in the region and the peculiarities of the local weather. Experienced gardeners assure that such tulips can bloom even this year.
Is it possible to plant tulips in spring
Planting tulips in spring is undoubtedly possible. Such a planting will be based on other rules that distinguish it from the usual autumn, but they are unlikely to seem complicated. The key is to properly prepare the bulbs for rooting in the soil in the spring and plant them at the right time and weather.
When to plant tulips outdoors in spring
It is recommended to plant tulips outdoors in spring early. The most basic condition is that the snow has already melted, and the soil at a depth of 10 cm has time to warm up to + 8-9 ° С.
It is important to plant tulips in spring, taking into account the weather forecast: in the next 20-25 days after the scheduled day, serious frosts should not be expected. Otherwise, the bulbs will most likely die, and if they survive, they will not bloom soon.
In order for tulips to successfully root in the open field in spring, the soil at a depth of 10 cm must warm up to + 8-9 ° С
Thus, the approximate time for planting tulips in the ground in the Moscow region in spring is mid / late March and early April. In the regions located to the north, suitable conditions may come much later, sometimes at the beginning of May.
Will tulips planted in spring bloom
Opinions differ as to whether the tulips that were planted in spring will bloom this season.
Some gardeners assure that flowering in this case can only be expected next year, since the flower buds of the bulbs simply do not have time to ripen.
Others believe that knowing the correct agricultural techniques and the secrets of the preliminary preparation of the bulbs, you can plant tulips in the spring, hoping to see them in all their glory this year. However, the buds will appear on them later than usual - not earlier than June. In addition, the flowering of these tulips will not be as abundant and friendly as those that are traditionally planted in autumn.
Tulips planted in spring can bloom in the current season, but much later than usual and not too abundantly
How to plant tulips in spring
If you are going to plant tulips in the open ground in spring, the florist should be well aware of the features of this procedure. Proper handling of bulbs, whether freshly purchased or stored in the fall, will play a key role.In addition, it is important to correctly select and prepare the site for the flower garden, then plant the plants, observing the process technology in detail, and organize proper care for the growing tulips.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
When choosing a site where tulips are to be planted, one should proceed from what growing conditions they prefer. A flower garden for them in the open field should have the following characteristics:
- be well lit and sufficiently warm by the sun (especially those who are going to plant tulips in spring in cold regions - in Siberia, in the Urals) should be especially attentive to this requirement;
- be protected from strong winds by a small fence or bush barrier;
- the reaction of the soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline;
- optimal soil composition - light sandy loam, loam;
- the soil should pass moisture well, since the bulbs will rot when the water stagnates.
Before planting tulips, the land on the site needs to be dug to the depth of a shovel bayonet. At this stage, you can additionally add organic fertilizers (rotted compost) or, if the soil is too poor, enrich it with mineral fertilizers. Also, if necessary, during the digging process, coarse-grained sand can be added to the soil, which will improve its water permeability.
The site chosen for the spring planting of tulips should be sunny, sheltered from the wind, with light, nutritious, well-drained soil.
Preplant preparation of bulbs
It is very important to properly prepare the tulip bulbs that you plan to plant in the spring. You will need to take the following measures:
- If the planting material has been stored all winter, it should be carefully sorted out and examined, rejecting those specimens in which the upper casing layer is significantly damaged, and also have fungal lesions. Such bulbs should not be planted - weak, sick, poorly flowering plants can grow from them.
- Then they should be hardened by placing them on the lower shelf of the refrigerator or in the vegetable compartment and keeping them at a temperature of about + 4 ° C for at least 1 night (or better, longer). This is especially true of purchased planting material, the storage conditions of which are unknown. This procedure will help to strengthen its vitality.
- In order to protect against diseases and pests, the bulbs must be immersed in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate or a decoction of pharmacy celandine at room temperature. This should be done half an hour before tulips are to be planted in the ground.
Immediately before planting tulip bulbs in the ground, they will need to be carefully removed from the dense integumentary rind. This will help the plants get more nutrients from the soil.
One of the keys to a successful spring tulip planting is proper pre-preparation of the bulbs.
Landing rules
Spring planting of tulips in an open area is performed as follows:
- On a dug and loosened bed, grooves are laid at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other if large bulbs are to be planted, and 10-15 cm if the planting material is small. The depth of the rows also varies. For large bulbs, it will be 10-15 cm, for small ones, 5 cm is enough.
- Water the prepared grooves with water.
- The bulbs are laid out in rows with sharp ends up, leaving 7-10 cm between them.
- Sprinkle on top with fertile soil, level the surface with a rake and water it again.
The approximate planting depth of tulip bulbs depends on their size
Watering and feeding
Tulips planted in spring need regular, moderate watering until the end of the flowering period. The earth must not be allowed to dry out. The amount of water should be sufficient to penetrate deep into the bulk of the roots (10-40 liters per 1 sq. M of the garden). It is important to ensure that moisture does not get on the leaves, it can provoke burns.
Top dressing, produced in a quality and timely manner, will also help to ensure that tulips that were planted in spring will produce beautiful flowers and form strong bulbs. It should be done three times:
- after emergence;
- shortly before the tulips bloom;
- as soon as the flowering is over.
The easiest way is to use a ready-made complex fertilizer designed for tulips. But you can make additional fertilizing separately (nitrogen-containing drugs, superphosphate, potassium sulfate).
Rules for caring for tulips after planting in spring
The rules for caring for tulips that you decided to plant in the spring are quite simple:
- From time to time, it is required to inspect the beds, identifying and removing non-sprouted bulbs, as well as young shoots with signs of disease.
- From the moment small shoots appear, the soil around them must be systematically loosened carefully, especially after watering or rain. This will provide better oxygen access to the roots and timely evaporation of excess moisture.
- It is imperative to weed out weeds to prevent the appearance of pests, as well as rid the flowers of "competitors" in the fight for water and nutrients.
- During the flowering period, it is important to remove fallen petals from the ground in time to prevent them from rotting and the risk of spreading infections.
- The stems of faded tulips that were planted in spring should not be cut immediately after they have shed their petals. You need to wait until they turn yellow so as not to harm the ripening bulbs.
Large bulbs are usually planted one at a time, while small bulbs can be placed in one hole for 5-7 pieces
Experienced gardening tips
Experienced flower growers are not afraid to plant tulips in spring and know how to get them to bloom in the coming summer. Here are some tips they can give:
- a month before planting in open ground, you can "distill" the bulbs by placing them in a container or box, half filled with a nutrient substrate, sprinkle on top with a layer of earth 5 cm and keep indoors in a sunny place;
- large specimens should be planted in open ground one at a time, small ones can be placed in 5-7 pieces in one hole;
- when preparing the bed for planting, in no case should fresh manure be added as fertilizer - this can contribute to the defeat of the planting material by the fungus;
- you can determine how deep to plant tulips by eye: each bulb must be buried in the soil for three of its sizes;
- planting material cannot be pressed into the soil - there is a risk of damaging the developing root system;
- it is unacceptable to plant tulips in the same area for more than 5 seasons in a row.
Conclusion
When deciding to plant tulips in an open area in spring, a gardener may well achieve their flowering this summer. But at the same time, he must take into account that the first buds in the garden will appear much later than if the bulbs were planted in the fall. In addition, this season they are unlikely to please with abundant flowering and will quickly fade. When planning to plant tulips in spring, it is necessary to correctly determine the time when the earth will properly warm up: in the Urals, Siberia and in central Russia, the optimal dates will be different. Provided that the planting material is properly prepared, the rules of agricultural technology are followed and the proper care of the plants is ensured, there is no doubt that the experience of planting these flowers in spring will be successful.
