Choosing the site.
Tulips are light-loving plants. They need plenty of sun to flower, so when choosing a spot before planting, consider whether anything will block the sunlight. Another important factor when planting tulips – and other plants – is the type of soil. The most suitable is fertile, free-draining, humus-rich and loose soil. You can make good soil by mixing ordinary multipurpose potting compost with sand and compost. Remember also that tulips grow very poorly in wet places (so avoid overwatering) and on clay soils. It is also important to loosen the soil well. It must not be compacted.
Choosing bulbs.
Bulbs bought in a shop should never be bruised or damaged. However, many gardeners use bulbs from previous years. Such bulbs should be sorted, discarding any that are rotting or bruised, because damaged spots provide ideal conditions for fungal diseases. In addition, all bulbs should be soaked in a fungicide before planting. As for varieties, a huge number are now available on the Polish market. Choose ones suited to flowering in our climate (most of them are).
When to plant?
Tulips are planted in autumn. The most suitable time is generally considered to be late September to early October. Do not plant too late, as the bulb will not have time to root, and if it does come up in spring, it will flower very poorly.
How to plant?
Once the bulbs and the site are ready, you can start planting. Bury the bulbs at a depth that matches their size. Small bulbs are planted up to 10 cm deep. Bulbs more than 15 mm in diameter are planted about 12 cm deep. Spacing is also important: it should be 10 cm, and for large varieties (reaching 40 cm or more) as much as 15 cm.
What next?
After planting, water regularly but not too heavily. The soil should be slightly moist until the first frosts. For winter, to be safe, you can cover the planting site with straw, peat or bark – then wait for spring, when they will emerge and flower.
Feeding.
Because of their short but intense flowering period, tulips must be fed during this time. Mineral fertilisers are best for the purpose. It is better to feed the soil more before planting than after. Before planting, add a compound NPK fertiliser, and during growth water occasionally with liquid flower fertiliser.
After flowering?
Spring is the time when tulips flower intensely, delighting us with vivid colours and their extraordinary beauty. Their beauty makes us want them to flower for as long as possible. But despite our best wishes and efforts, a tulip must eventually finish flowering. What then?
Caring for tulips after flowering is simple. Gently remove the remains of the flowers and the seed pods. The plant forms offset bulbs, and leaving the seeds would weaken it unnecessarily. Moreover, plants grown from seed do not repeat the traits of the mother plant. It is important not to remove the leaves after flowering. Keep watering the tulip until the leaves start to dry. Watering is very important, because this is when the bulbs regenerate after flowering and build up reserves so that they can flower just as beautifully next year. When the leaves are dry, lift the bulb. Clean it gently and leave it to dry before planting it in the ground again in autumn.
Some gardeners leave their tulip bulbs in the ground. You can do that, of course, but the plant will flower less well the following year. Leaving bulbs in the ground also makes it much harder to prepare the site for overwintering in autumn. In addition, bulbs left in the ground are exposed to being eaten by various rodents. So it is worth putting in a little more work and lifting the bulbs after flowering. In autumn you can plant the tulips again.