Tulips are beautiful indoor and outdoor plants that can bloom all year round if they are planted and grown correctly. To grow tulips in pots, you need the right container, the right soil, and the right technique. Since they need to lie dormant for 12-16 weeks before flowering, you need to expose them to cold temperatures to replicate winter weather. If you do this correctly, your tulips will bloom in spring or summer and grace your home.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Planting the Tulip Bulbs
Step 1. Use a pot that is at least 22 cm in diameter that has drainage holes
The pot should also be 17-46cm deep. It is important that the container you choose has drainage holes. The larger ones will be able to hold more tulips, thus creating a richer flower arrangement. You can choose plastic, ceramic or terracotta models.
- A 22cm vase can hold 2 to 9 tulip bulbs.
- A 56cm diameter vase can hold about 25 medium sized tulip bulbs.
- The drainage holes are important to prevent water from settling to the bottom, thus preventing the bulbs from rotting.
Step 2. Fill the jar halfway with a mix of perlite and vermiculite
Purchase porous, fast-draining potting soil at a local nursery or on the internet. Materials based on perlite and vermiculite are ideal for tulips. Work outdoors and carefully pour soil into the pot.
Pot compost is often better than soil in your garden because it retains moisture better, is rich in nutrients for growth, and drains better
Step 3. Push the bulbs into the soil, spacing them 2.5 cm apart
Plant the bulbs near the edge first, then work your way to the center of the pot. Push the flat side of the bulbs deep enough to hold them in place.
- The pointed part of the bulb should be facing up.
- By planting more than one bulb in the same pot, you will get more flowers, but the plants will compete for nutrients and water. If you are going to put a lot of them inside the pot, be sure to water and apply fertilizer regularly.
Step 4. Cover the bulbs with 13-20cm of potting soil
Use the same type of material you chose earlier and completely cover the bulbs. If you are keeping the pot in an area where there are animals, such as squirrels, you can cover the top with a wire mesh so that the tulips are not eaten before they bloom.
Step 5. Consider adding more bulbs to create a layered effect
If you want your tulips to reach different heights or just want to fit several in a single vase, you can arrange them one on top of the other. To do this, just cover a layer of bulbs with 2.5-5cm of potting soil before planting a second layer on top of the first and finally cover the last few bulbs with more potting compost. Once in bloom, they will fill the entire vase.
- Cover the topmost layer of bulbs with 12.5-20cm of potting soil.
- You can plant the second layer of bulbs directly on top of the first.
Step 6. Water the soil abundantly once the bulbs are planted
Excess water should drain from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
- If you have decided to keep your bulbs indoors, you will need to water them about 2-3 times a week.
- If you keep your bulbs outdoors and live in an area where rainfall is frequent, you don't need to water the tulips. In case of drought, water them 2-3 times a week.
Step 7. Leave the bulbs in a cool area for 12-16 weeks
Put the jars in an empty refrigerator or cellar where the temperature remains between 7 and 13 ° C. Tulips must go through a dormant phase to bloom in spring. For this to happen, they must be exposed to low temperatures.
Step 8. Keep the bulbs in a constant temperature environment, so they don't risk freezing and thawing
Changes in temperature cause the bulb to rot.
- If you keep the pots outdoors, it is best to plant the bulbs when the outside temperature is between 7 ° C and 13 ° C.
- If you have purchased bulbs that have already passed the dormant stage, you can skip this step.
Step 9. Move the tulips to an area where the temperature reaches at least 16-21 ° C
Once the tulips are past their dormant stage, they will bloom if conditions permit. If you have decided to keep them indoors, move them to a window or other sunlit environment. If you prefer to move the pots outdoors, make sure the temperature has reached at least 16-21 ° C.
If the temperature is 21 ° C and you keep the tulips outside, place them in a shaded area, for example under a tree or awning
Step 10. Wait 1-3 weeks for the tulips to start blooming
These plants should flower when the outside temperature reaches 16-21 ° C. Different tulip species bloom at different times of the year, so read the directions on the packaging of the bulbs you have purchased to plant them correctly.
- Among the varieties that bloom at the beginning of the season are early single, double early, fosteriana, water lily and greigii tulips.
- Varieties that bloom in mid-season include Darwin Hybrid Tulips, Fringed Tulips, Triumph and Lily Flower.
- At the end of the season, parrot tulips, late single, late double and viridiflora bloom.
Part 2 of 2: Caring for Tulips
Step 1. Water the tulips when the top 2.5cm of soil is dry
You will need to do this regularly to make sure the surface is moist but not soggy. To check the condition of the soil, occasionally sink a finger to 2.5 cm deep and water when it feels dry.
- If you keep the pots outdoors, water the bulbs only when it hasn't rained for more than a week.
- Continue watering the bulbs during the dormant phase.
Step 2. Keep the tulips in an area that receives light for at least 6 hours a day
These flowers need the sun, but they don't react well to too high temperatures. For this reason, keep them out of direct sunlight in spring and summer. If you have decided to grow them indoors, place them near a window so they get enough light every day.
- You can keep the pots partially hidden from the sun, near a tree or under an awning, so that they are away from direct lighting.
- Often, potted soil reaches higher temperatures than in your garden.
- Avoid using dark colored pots, as they absorb sunlight and excessively heat the earth inside.
Step 3. Remove all falling petals and leaves from the vase
Let them turn yellow for 6 weeks before removing them from the flower. If they fall out, remove them from the pot to prevent them from rotting the rest of the bulb.
By removing the dead petals, you will stimulate the tulips to bloom the following year
Step 4. Throw away any tulips that develop disease or are infested with parasites
If the flowers are not growing well or have brown or yellow spots, they are likely diseased or infested with pests, such as roundworms. To avoid the spread of disease, uproot diseased tulip bulbs and throw them away.
- Prevent squirrels and other animals from eating tulips by keeping them indoors, covering the ground with wire mesh, or fencing them off.
- The diseases that most commonly affect tulips are root rot, collar rot, and the infestation of the Botrytis tulipae mold.
- Avoid planting tulip bulbs that show signs of a white fungus, which can spread and infest other specimens in the same pot as well.
Step 5. Bring the tulips indoors if the outside temperature gets too cold
When the temperature drops below freezing, the soil in the pot can freeze and kill the bulbs forever. To avoid this problem, move them to a room where the temperature stays between 7 ° C and 13 ° C, such as the garage or basement.
You can bring tulips back outdoors in late fall or early spring the following year
Step 6. Change the potting soil every year
Carefully dig up the bulbs using a garden shovel, but be sure not to damage them. Afterward, empty the pots and replace the soil inside with new material. This way, the bulbs will receive new nutrients, grow better and are more likely to bloom again in the following season.
- If you decide to dig up the bulbs during the dormant phase, store them in a cool dark place, such as in the refrigerator, until you are ready to plant them.
- Use quality potting soil with compost and fertilize it year-round if you prefer not to replace it every 12 months. Just apply the compost to the top layer of the soil, just before the growing season.
