Tulip Time

By Lisa Derx

When the budget would stretch to a bag of eight or 10 tulip bulbs, my mother would plant them in the fall for spring blooms. I don’t recall anything especially remarkable about them, nor about the many bunches we all see sold in grocery stores year-round. It wasn’t until I started growing specialty flowers that I learned of the many gorgeous varieties of tulips – some so beautiful I can scarcely take my eyes off them. Let’s talk tulips, shall we?

Tulips are considered to be perennial herbaceous plants, and they were first cultivated in Persia (now Iran) in the 10th century. Although it took a few centuries for them to become known in other countries, by the 15th century they were highly coveted.   Visitors to the Ottoman Empire introduced them to Europe, which led to a phenomenon known as “tulip mania.” Beginning in 1634, prices for tulips became highly inflated in the Dutch Republic, the precursor to the Netherlands. The tulip market collapsed in 1637, and the impact it had on the Dutch economy is debated by historians. Many economists consider tulip mania to be the first time there was unbridled speculation that drove prices to unsustainable levels for any product.

Regardless of what happened nearly 400 years ago, tulips continued to enchant people around the world. Breeders have created thousands of cultivars, and there are tulips in every color from four inches high to 28 inches high. They are easy to grow, widely available, and they have many colors and forms. Here is how to plant your own tulip garden.

Plant bulbs in November in the mid-Atlantic states, after the first frost or freeze has cooled the earth. They prefer full sun, and soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. Plant the bulbs twice as deep as the bulb is long and cover with soil. Don’t put any fertilizer in the hole with the bulb, as that could burn the bulb. Do spread a balanced fertilizer on top after you have packed the soil down, such as 10-10-10 or 10-15-10.   Water the fertilizer in well. Fertilize again in spring when you see the shoots breakthrough the earth. Continue this twice-a-year fertilizing schedule so long as the bulbs keep returning to keep them happy and blooming.

Insects are not generally a problem with tulips, but voles and squirrels can be a nuisance. Try tossing a handful of MoleMax in the hole with the bulb to deter voles. Red pepper flakes spread on top of the earth can deter squirrels. In my experience, after the bulbs have been in the ground for a week or so, the squirrels lose interest.

Every type of tulip requires a certain number of weeks of cooling. As soon as they have achieved that number of weeks, they will start to grow and bloom. If you are trying to force tulips indoors, it is important to either purchase bulbs that have been precooled by the supplier or cool them yourself. Precooled bulbs are either 5c or 9c. Those that are 5c have had all the weeks of cooling they need when they ship to you. Those that are 9c have received some but not all of their cooling. With winters in the mid-Atlantic being increasingly warmer, you may want to purchase either 5c or 9c bulbs even for those you are planting outdoors. Doing so can compensate for warmer winters so that you still get blooms.

We are lucky to have 14 types of tulips, from the stately Darwin Hybrids to the lovely Lily-Flowering to the Double Tulips that many mistake for peonies. When planning your garden, try to purchase types that bloom at different times from early to late spring for the longest show.

Fall is getting late to order specialty bulbs, although garden centers and hardware stores usually have a good supply. If you want the best selection, order in spring, when tulips are blooming. Here are some reputable online suppliers, some of which may still have bulbs on sale:

Colorblends – https://www.colorblends.com/spring-flowering-bulbs/tulips/tulip-blends/ Colorblends has wonderful mixes of complementary and contrasting colors of every shade. 

John Scheepers – https://www.johnscheepers.com/flower-bulbs-index/tulips.html Giant Darwin Hybrid tulips were introduced to the United States by John Scheepers in 1951.

TulipWorld – https://www.tulipworld.com TulipWorld offers lower prices and a good selection.

If you haven’t grown specialty tulips, consider trying parrot tulips or lily-flowering or doubles. You’ll marvel at the variety and beauty they bring to your garden.

Lisa Derx is a member of the American Daffodil Society, Membership Chair for the National Capital Dahlia Society, President of Chesapeake Flower Exchange, Local Flowers Liaison for the Independent Floral Designers Association, and a member of the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers and the Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association.  Her home is in Dayton, Maryland, where she lives and grows flowers with her husband Dan and cat Sebastian.