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Sometimes it becomes necessary to transplant tulips in the spring before flowering. This most often happens if the time was missed in the fall, when this procedure is usually done. In general, there is nothing wrong with transplanting tulips in spring. The main thing is to carry out all the manipulations according to the rules, as well as handle the bulbs carefully and carefully, since at the beginning of the growing season the risk of damaging them significantly increases. It should be borne in mind that the flowering of tulips transplanted in spring may not occur in the current season. It also often happens that the buds appear, but much later. Experienced gardeners advise transplanting tulips in spring only in exceptional cases. Basically, you should still give preference to autumn.
Is it possible to transplant tulips in spring
Transplanting tulips in spring is certainly possible. However, the autumn option is considered preferable, since the bulbs during this period adapt better to a new place, thoroughly prepare for wintering in the ground and, germinating at the end of the cold weather, give healthy and beautiful flowers on time.
In the case when it is necessary to organize a transplant of tulips in spring, it should be remembered that they may not bloom in the coming summer. If the buds do appear, then this is most likely to happen much later than usual. Yes, and it is better not to count on abundant, lush and decorative flowering.
It is best to replant tulips in the fall, but you can do this in the spring if there is an urgent need.
When to replant tulips: in spring or autumn
The timing of transplanting tulips is influenced by a number of factors.
Among them:
- climatic and weather features of the region;
- plant development phase;
- characteristics of a particular variety (in particular, early or late flowering).
A common ideal is usually an autumn transplant, which occurs at least 30-40 days before the forecasted first snowfall. In central Russia, this is usually the period from the first decade of September to mid-October. For northern regions with early winters, optimal timing is usually limited to mid or late September.
The possibility of replanting tulips in spring is determined by the following rule: the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm should be + 8-9 ° C. In temperate regions, this is approximately mid-March and early April. In the northern regions, suitable conditions can be expected longer, until early May.
It is not allowed to make a transplant during the following periods:
- Just before flowering. If at this stage the plant needs to spend additional forces on rooting, this can lead to its weakening and a general deterioration in its condition. It is best to wait until the tulips have faded.
- In late autumn, at the onset of severe frosts. The bulbs will not have enough time to properly prepare for wintering in the ground and the risk of their death will greatly increase.
How to transplant a blooming tulip
Transplanting tulips during flowering is highly discouraged. Such a plant will be much more difficult to take root in a new place. In addition, interfering with the bulb's natural development cycle can adversely affect sprout formation and flowering for the next year.
If, nevertheless, there is a need to transplant a flowering plant, it is advised to act according to one of the following scenarios:
- Remove the tulip from the soil along with the bulb. Gently rinse it from the ground without cutting off the head, place it in water and wait for the plant to bloom. After that, dry the bulb in the air and send it for storage until a convenient time for planting in the ground.
- Carefully dig up the plant along with a large clod of soil using a garden pitchfork or bayonet shovel. Transfer to a new, pre-prepared place, and water abundantly.
Blooming tulips do not tolerate transplanting very well, so it is best to wait for them to bloom.
How to prepare a bulb for transplanting
For transplanting tulips in spring, planned in advance, the material is harvested in the summer. Waiting until the end of June or the beginning of July, when the flowering ends, and the leaves and scales of the bulb turn yellow, the plants are dug out of the ground. Then they are cleaned of adhering soil, dried in a warm room for 3-4 weeks and sorted by size, rejecting damaged or rotten specimens.
After that, the bulbs are wrapped in paper with holes for aeration and stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. In the spring, a couple of weeks before the planned transplant, they are placed in wide boxes or containers filled with nutrient soil about 15 cm. The bulbs are carefully laid out at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other, sprinkled with a layer of earth 5 cm thick and watered. 2 weeks after the emergence of sprouts, tulips are transplanted into open ground. With this approach, plants do not need long-term adaptation, they will actively develop, and flowering will begin on time.
Sometimes there is a need for an urgent transplant of tulips, which can be caused by pests or depleted soil. In this case, it is undesirable to dig up the bulbs one by one, but it is better to transfer them to a new place along with a lump of earth on the roots.
It is most convenient to transplant already rooted tulips in the spring, transferring them to another place along with a large clod of earth on the roots
How to prepare the soil for transplanting
A site for transplanting tulips is selected according to the following criteria:
- well lit by the sun;
- protected from wind and drafts;
- with light, nutritious, neutral, well-drained soil.
It is important that the garden bed is not flooded after the snow melts. Ideally, it should be located on a small hill (if necessary, you can add some soil).
In the process of digging, organic matter is introduced into the soil (humus or crushed grass). If the acidity of the soil is increased, ash will help reduce its level. In the case when the soil is clayey, too heavy, it does not hurt to dilute it with coarse river sand. If necessary, you can enrich the earth with minerals (compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
Tulip transplant rules
Tulips need a mandatory transplant to a new place 1 time in 3-4 years. If this is not done, then the bulbs will begin to grow, forming "babies". This will have a bad effect on flowering, the plants will begin to lag behind in growth and gradually lose their inherent beauty.
If the spring transplant is planned in advance, it is best to pre-germinate the bulbs in a container indoors.
Transplanting tulips in spring has its own characteristics. It is advisable to adhere to certain rules:
- It is recommended to transplant tulips in sunny, dry, calm weather.
- Mother bulbs and "babies" separated from them are best placed in separate beds, since the latter will definitely not bloom this year, since they need to grow up.
- In the soil, you need to dig grooves or individual holes. Their depth should approximately correspond to the three sizes of the bulbs that are planned to be planted. The distance between the pits should be 10-15 cm.
- Before transplanting tulips, the holes should be watered with water and wait until it is absorbed into the soil.
- The bulbs must be carefully laid out in pits or grooves with their tails up. Large specimens are planted one at a time, small ones can be laid out in several pieces (from 5 to 7).
- Sprinkle the onions with soil and pour gently with warm water.
- Level the soil in the garden bed.
Tips for caring for tulips after transplanting
Post-transplant care comes down to a few simple steps:
- It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil around the tulips to ensure a better supply of air and moisture to the roots. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the bulbs.
- Before flowering, tulips need moderate, regular watering. After the buds appear, it is advisable to increase the amount of moisture.
- To improve growth and the manifestation of decorative qualities, tulips should be fed with complex fertilizers. This is done three times during the season: when shoots appear, shortly before flowering and after its end.
- An obligatory stage is regular weeding in the tulip beds. This will help the flowers stay healthy and get full water and nutrition from the soil.
Conclusion
If you need to transplant tulips in the spring before flowering, you should think about whether there is an urgent need for this, since the beginning of the growing season is not the best time for this procedure. In the case when this is really required, it is advisable to choose the time before the buds appear, after the snow has melted and the soil has been properly warmed up. When transplanting tulip bulbs to a new place in spring, you must handle them very carefully and carefully, since during this period they are very easy to damage. Ideally, they should be germinated in a container of nutrient soil one month before their planned outdoor rooting. This will simplify the adaptation of the bulbs in the spring garden and will allow you to see tulips blooming already in the current season.
