Tulips Tulips Tulips
By Jos Van Hage
Saturday, September 18, 2010 04:12 AM
Tulip bulbs have certainly come down in price when you look back in history.
During the height of 'tulip mania' in the 1630's people paid thousands of dollars for just one bulb in the hope that it would develop into a new colour or form.
Tulip bulbs are much more affordable today and are an economical addition to any landscape because after the initial purchase price, they are planted, and if cared for properly will continue to reward the grower for many years to come with blooms.
Tulips can be grown in our Prince George area very successfully by following a few easy steps.
The first step would be choosing the bulbs you want to plant.
There are many different varieties to choose from and these varieties have been classified into 15 divisions, depending on bloom time and growth habits. By choosing different varieties you can have different tulips blooming for many weeks.
The earliest blooming tulips would be varieties found in the 'Fosteriana', 'Kaufmanniana', and 'Greigii' divisions. Fosteriana varieties are the tallest of the early varieties growing 25-30 cm in height. These have large single flowers and broad foliage.
Kaufmanniana varieties grow 10-20 cm tall making them ideal for rock gardens and borders. The flowers are often bi-coloured and resemble water lilies, while the foliage is striped or mottled, similar to that of the short stemmed Greigii types, whose foliage is low-growing to the ground, to better show off the large showy flowers.
The next to bloom would be those varieties found in the 'Single Early' division which have large single flowers with pointed petals, and the 'Double Early' varieties who's large, double, showy, flowers look like peonies.
Tulips that are considered mid-season varieties are in the 'Darwin' division which have 30-50 cm tall sturdy stems and large flowers making them excellent for cut flowers as well as 'Triumph' varieties.
The 'Single Late', 'Double Late', bloom later in the season, along with 'Lily flowered', known for slim, pointed tipped flowers, 'Fringed', tulips with their fringed orchid-like flowers, 'Parrot' varieties which have twisted feather like petals and the last to bloom are the long blooming 'Viridiflora' types which have single lily like flowers that have some green on the bloom, and 'Rembrandt' similar to the Darwin types with streaked or variegated flowers.
When you have looked over the varieties and decided what you like the next step is picking out your bulbs.
Bulbs are storehouses containing the flower and needed nutrients inside of them so by choosing large, firm healthy bulbs you will get large flowers next spring. A smaller bulb will produce a smaller flower.
For the best success tulip bulbs need to be planted in September or early October so that they can form a good root system before the frost sets in. Plant bulbs in groups of 8-10 bulbs per group and space them 15-20 cm apart, and 15-20 cm deep. Bulbs need a well drained soil so adding compost or sand to the soil will help amend it, they also need sun to partial shade.
When planting the bulbs keep in mind that in the spring after the bulb has finished blooming the old flower is removed and the remaining foliage needs to die back naturally in order for the bulb to form next years flower. A way to hide the dying foliage is planting the bulbs behind later blooming perennials or deciduous shrubs.
To help the bulb form a good root system add a handful of bonemeal to the planting hole before placing the bulbs in it. After covering the bulbs with soil give it a good water and make sure that the planting area is well watered before the frost sets in.
After 3-4 years you will notice that the flowers each spring will become smaller. This is a sign that the bulbs have become overcrowded and need more space. After the foliage has naturally died back in early August carefully dig up the bulbs and air dry them and separate the tiny bulbets from the large bulb. Toss out the tiny bulbets and store the large bulbs in a cool dark space and replant them in September.
-Jos
Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:
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Highway 16 west at Kimball Road
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Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road
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