Proper Preparation for Tulip Planting: The Essential Steps

Autumn through winter can be a tough time as a gardener and gardening enthusiast, but it doesn’t have to be as fruitless as you might imagine. Tulip planting can answer your prayers, setting up your garden for a spring full ofvibrant shades of pink, orange, purple and yellow while the months get chillier – a perfect gardening task to takeseasonal blues! 

These gorgeous perennial flowers are unique in that they require a cold dormancy period and do notrequire protection from frost in bulb form like many other common garden plants. However, their hardiness doesn’t mean they’re ready to be planted on purchase. This blog will outline the essential steps to take before planting tulip bulbs to guarantee a successful bloom. 

Why is tulip planting done in autumn/winter? 

You might wonder “why am I planting tulips in Autumn?” It’s because tulip bulbs need to be chilled while establishing their roots. It’s these vital colder months that allow them to bloom so stunningly in spring. However, they need to be planted in Autumn or the early part of winter for the perfect balance ofcoolness and soil access. 

Choosing the right bulbs

Before the ‘formal’ preparation can begin, you have to decide which tulips are going to fit best into your garden. Are you looking for the whimsy offringed flowers? Making a statement with somefiery scarlet petals? Or looking for a mix? These are the fun decisions you can make before the work begins. 

Signs of quality bulbs include: 

• Firmness
• Size (bigger = better)
• Lack of blemishes
• Mould-free

How to prepare tulip bulbs for planting

Knowing how to prepare tulips for planting is more about the soil than the bulbs themselves. As long as the bulbs show signs of quality, being free from mould, blemishes and disease, they should be ready to go. 

When selecting a spot in the soil for tulip planting you need to keep in mind:

• Location – Choose somewhere with access to sun and good drainage for the soil.
• Prepping the soil itself – Loosening and adding compost to the soil.
• Spacing & depth – Make spaces around 6 inches deep with 5-20cm between them (depending on their decorative purpose)

How to plant tulip bulbs

Tulip planting follows some clear steps after preparation: 

1. Digging holes or a trench (dependant on number of bulbs)
2. Placing bulbs in the holes pointed end up and root side down, adding a light layer of loose soil over each
3. Water and mulch each bulb for protection from frost and weeds

Now comes the care!

Now you know the steps of tulip planting from prep to actually getting them safely in the soil, next it’s important to learn proper care techniques – but that’s a blog for another day! For more information on maintaining a great home garden, check out ourknowledge hub today.