How to care for tulips
This article provides detailed knowledge about the bulbous flower tulips, how to care for tulips. Let's find out more through the introduction by our website editor.
Tulips are very beautiful, and many新手 (novice) flower enthusiasts want to plant tulips with their own hands. However, they do not know how to care for tulips and where to start. This article is aimed at新手 from shallow to deep, telling enthusiasts how to grow tulips.
Usually, the purchased tulip bulbs are divided into natural bulbs and 5℃ cold-stored bulbs. Make sure to ask the seller before purchasing. The difference between 5℃ cold-stored bulbs and natural bulbs is that certain varieties of bulbs require a low-temperature phase for flower bud differentiation before they can bloom.
Natural bulbs are bulbs that have not yet gone through a low-temperature phase. For customers in the north, natural bulbs can be used because the winter is cold and long, meeting the requirements. 5℃ cold-stored bulbs are bulbs that have undergone artificial low-temperature treatment, eliminating the need to experience winter. This way, customers in the south can plant them because there is not enough low-temperature period in winter.
In addition, whether in the north or south, if you want the bulbs to bloom before the Spring Festival, there is not enough natural low-temperature time, and cold-treated bulbs must be used.
Let's move on to the practical phase of planting tulips:
I. Bulb Treatment
Disinfection of tulip bulbs is a key step in planting, usually treated with common fungicides such as carbendazim and chlorothalonil.
II. Substrate Preparation
Firstly, prepare high-quality media that is both water-retentive and breathable, with not too high salinity or acidity. The pH value should not be less than 6, free of diseases and harmful substances. Plant the bulbs stably in a cultivation bed deep enough (at least 5 cm). In recent years, we have used a mixture of peat, mature soil, and sand in a 1:1:1 ratio as the cultivation substrate, with good results. About half a month before planting, apply decomposed manure as a base fertilizer and add an appropriate amount of furadan and carbendazim (or use 1% formalin for irrigation and coverage disinfection), fully water, and carefully till the soil before planting to ensure looseness.
III. Planting
Remove the brown scales from the tulip bulbs before planting and soak them in a 50% carbendazim solution (500 times) for about two hours. The spacing between plants should be 9×10 cm. When planting, the top of the bulb should be level with or slightly below the soil surface. Planting a bit shallow can promote earlier blooming. Sometimes, having one-third of the bulb exposed can promote blooming 5 days earlier. After planting, water thoroughly to promote rooting.
IV. Cultivation Management
Usually, the bulbs start to germinate after a week. Before and during seedling stage, keep the indoor temperature at 12℃-15℃ during the day, and ventilate to cool down if the temperature is too high. Keep the temperature above 6℃ at night to promote early rooting and robust seedlings. If the temperature is too high, it will make the stems weak and the flowers of poor quality. After more than 20 days, when the plants have grown two leaves, it is time to increase the temperature to promote timely detachment of the flower buds from the bracts. Keep the indoor temperature at 18℃-25℃ during the day and above 10℃ at night. After another 20 days, the corolla begins to color, and the first flower opens from late December to early January, reaching full bloom in 10-15 days. Flowers should be placed in batches depending on the required timing, with higher temperatures promoting earlier blooming. Generally, after the corolla is fully colored, the plants should be placed in a 10℃ environment for sale.
V. Light
Adequate light is essential for the growth of tulips. Insufficient light will lead to poor plant growth, causing bud drop, weak plants, pale leaf color, and shortened flowering period. However, for about half a month after potting, tulips should be shaded appropriately to help the bulbs develop new roots. Moreover, shading can promote the elongation of flower buds and prevent excessive early vegetative growth. After seedlings emerge, increase light to promote stem elongation, formation of flower buds, and coloring. In the later stage, after the flower buds are fully colored, prevent direct sunlight to extend the blooming time.
VI. Fertilization
Since the substrate is rich in organic fertilizer, no top-dressing is needed during growth. However, if nitrogen is insufficient, causing pale leaf color or insufficiently robust plant growth, easily absorbable nitrogen fertilizers such as urea and ammonium nitrate can be applied. Do not over-fertilize, as it can cause etiolation and even affect the plant's absorption of iron, leading to iron deficiency (yellowing of new leaves and flower buds, but old leaves are normal). Liquid fertilizer application during growth is effective. Generally, spray a 2‰-3‰ potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution every 10 days from bud formation to blooming to promote large, colorful flowers and sturdy flower stems.
VII. Water Management
After planting tulips, water thoroughly to ensure the soil and bulbs are closely combined for better rooting. After seedlings emerge, water appropriately, and spray water on the leaves to increase humidity when the leaves are gradually elongating. Ensure sufficient water during the flower spike and bud formation stages to promote full flower development, and control water after blooming.
VIII. Disease and Pest Control
The pathogens of tulip diseases can be carried by bulbs or soil and usually occur in high-temperature and high-humidity environments. Major diseases include stem rot, soft rot, mosaic disease, damping-off, and blind buds, while the main pests are aphids. Control methods include thorough soil disinfection before planting, using virus-free bulbs as much as possible, promptly removing and destroying diseased plants, applying fungicides 1-2 times during greenhouse growth, maintaining good ventilation to prevent high temperature and humidity, and using 3% natural pyrethrin at 800 times spray to kill aphids.
PS:
Tulips are cold-resistant and can withstand low temperatures of -35℃, and can also grow normally at 5℃-8℃, making them suitable for winter forced cultivation.
The above [] introduces the complete content on how to care for tulips (beginner level). Have green plant enthusiasts understood it?