Gardening Information

Tulips are very easy to grow. There is a lot of fun in  the planning stage. Many people will design an artistic, colorful layout for the blooms. It's a chance to express yourself.  You can plant the bulbs in a variety of patterns to get a splash of color in the areas where you desire.

After deciding on a  pattern if desired select the location for planting. Prepare the soil by working it well, removing rocks, and weeds. Mix in plenty of organic material and fertilizer. Special bulb formulas and bone meal work best. Note however, that tulips are very forgiving. They will bloom in almost any soil, almost anywhere. The only place where growing them will be a problem is in wet soil, as the bulbs can rot so avoid placing the bulbs in areas that collect alot example near pouring spouts from say a roof.

When buying bulbs, select only the finest quality bulbs. Buying "cheap" tulip bulbs often results in inferior blooms. In general the bigger the bulb, the bigger the bloom. There are early, mid, and late blooming varieties. Keep this in mind as you plan and purchase your bulbs.

If you buy bulbs early, Tulips should be stored in a cool, well ventilated area. Do not store them in a hot garage, as they will dry out. Many inexperienced gardeners have pulled up bulbs, and kept them in the garage until fall planting, only to find, dried up bulbs a few months later.

Plant the bulbs any time in the fall. As long as you can dig a hole to put them in the ground, it's not too late. Follow the directions from the supplier for spacing and depth. If no directions were included, plant the bulbs 6-8" apart, and at a depth twice the diameter of the bulb.