How to Grow Tulips (Tips & Care)

Whenever we think of a tulip we picture the beautiful fields of tulips from Netherland (Holland) But did you know that the botanical name of them comes fromthe Persian word, toliban, turban, which the inverted flower was supposed to resemble. It belongs to the Lily Family and grows wild over a great territory from Asia Minor through Siberia to China. Its beauty captured the imagination of the Dutch around 400 years ago, until today.

The first thing to do is to find a good bulb from a well-stocked garden center. The Netherlands regulates its tulip growers, so all Dutch tulips are of a good quality.
Try to buy early in the season and choose only bulbs that are firm and free of cuts, bruises, or mold.  We also recommend you buy tulips by variety or species name, not color. The bigger the bulb (in circumference), the bigger the bloom. So, when you buy tulip bulbs at discount stores, chances are your are getting what you pay for. If you want the biggest, best blooms, look for quality, name brand bulbs.

If you live where winters never reach freezing temperatures, tulips likely won't grow all that well. However, you can still grow tulips if you cooll them for six to eight weeks before planting.
Tulips are a strange breed of flower though, as they need to be planted in the fall to thrive in the spring, before the winter frost, in order to bloom to their maximum capabilities in the spring. The reason for this is that they are considered a hardy-bulb, and they require the cold of winter in order to sprout later.
Even though tulips appear to be very delicate tulips they can easily be grown in pots or any other container.
You should use a large, and brightly colored pot that is made of a natural material like a terracotta. You should plant the tulip bulbs in the container from September to about October.
You should make sure that there is about one-half an inch of soil below the bulbs and about a inch of soil to cover the top of the bulbs. You need to place the planted bulbs outside in the cool shady spot outside.
You need to fertilize and feed your plants after it has begun to flower. You should never use any peat-based mixtures to grow your tulips. Try to avoid black plastic pots because they absorb heat.

Plant the bulbs 6 to 8 inches deep when the temperature is 60F or colder. Ideally each bulb should be covered twice its own height with soil. This means that the hole needs to be three times the height of the bulb.  The bone meal will fertilize the bulbs through the winter and promote vigorous blooming in the spring. Tulip bulbs should be planted with their tips facing up, because if their tips face down, they waste their energy trying to grow in the opposite direction and you will get better results. As a general guide, plant in September or early October in colder areas or in October to early November in cool zones.
In warm areas, refrigerate tulip bulbs for six to eight weeks before planting. Place them in a paper bag away from ripening fruits (the fruits produce ethylene gas, which destroys the flower bud within the bulb).When growing your tulips in containers, avoid placing the container in direct sunshine. The soil needs to remain cool so the bulb doesn't prematurely receive signals that spring has arrived. If the sun warms the soil in the container too early, the bulb will send up shoot and flower before an adequate root system has developed. Keeping the soil cool for as long as possible will encourage the strongest and most expansive root system possible. You need to get a good quality potting soil mix.
The rule is to plant tulips pointed end up and 6 inches deep, meaning 4 inches of soil above the top of the bulb. Plant a little deeper, to 8 inches, if soil is light or sandy, or if pests such as voles are a problem. Those 2 extra inches put them just out of reach of voles. Deep planting also keeps the bulbs cooler, an advantage in mild-winter areas.
For an attractive flower display, plant five tulips per square foot, or 250 bulbs per 50 square feet. Space individual bulbs about 5 inches apart. Use a low-nitrogen granular fertilizer specially formulated for bulbs, and follow label directions about the amount to apply.
When planting a grouping, take the extra care to plant at exactly the same depth; this ensures that they all will bloom at the same time. With a shovel, excavate soil to create a level planting base. Set bulbs into the bed, fertilize, and then cover with excavated soil.

After planting, firm soil and water thoroughly. This will ensure that your tulips develop a strong root system before going into winter dormancy. Don't water again until leaves appear. In cold-winter areas), apply straw mulch about a month after planting. This gives the bulbs time to begin growth before the soil freezes solidly. The mulch also protects the bulbs if snow cover is light or nonexistent. In mild-winter areas, mulch after planting to help keep soil as cool as possible for as long as possible.

After blooming, let the plant continue to grow until it dies off. During the post bloom period, the plant is sending energy to the bulb to store for use next spring, this will reduce the risk of disease.

Tulips can be forced to bloom indoors winter months. When you buy bulbs in the fall, save a few to try this fun and easy indoor garden activity. A few bulbs are planted in a flower pot. The pot is then "chilled" or set in the cold for a few weeks. After a few weeks, the pot is brought indoors, and Voila, the tulips will grow and bloom indoors.

Tulips become weaker each year, and since most gardeners plant these colorful wonders with the expectation of a long life, then its best to choose a tulip that can stand the test of time. Species tulips will last year after year, unlike the hybrid tulips, species tulips will also spread out in the garden producing more tulips, year after year. Two of the most popular species tulips are the Fosteriana, and the Greigii, mainly due to their splendid colors and repeat performance each year.