November is Tulip time! Obviously to start growing them as cut flowers not for them to flower, we can thank spring for that joy of joys…
So I thought I’d put together a little Tulip 101 - as have had lots of questions about when and how to start - so if you’re a seasoned tulip grower feel free to skip this one!
Choose Your Bulbs:
Well this year, I’ve made it easy for myself and you too: I’ve spent hours deliberating over my tulip bulb collection with Premier Seeds Direct and have not only chosen all my favourites but grouped into collections that go together. As I said in my recent instagram vid, I am planning colour blocking for the pots and my front door and stripey sensations en masse by the back door! And this Blackcurrant Parfait Collection is what I’m going to be putting in my borders.
We have had notifications to buy tulip bulbs from mid-summer, but you really don’t want to put them into the ground until this month. If you have gone in early, make sure youre storing them properly, keeping them dry so they don’t go mouldy. Some people advise to store them in the freezer but I’m really not sure - any one have any experience with this?
When To Plant:
This is the month! I’d aim for mid November as we want to wait for cooler weather. Store them somewhere cool and dry - in an outdoor shed or garage perhaps. I would go ahead and plant bulbs when night temperatures drop consistently below 10°C (or when the ground feels cold to the step). Don’t do it too early before it’s properly cold as you run the risk of the soil being too damp and warm and potentially causing ‘tulip fire’ (the damaging fungal disease).
How To Plant:
Once you’ve chosen your bulb colour and variety you can plan where they’ll come up. You might choose a mixture of borders and pots or one or the other. Have a think about the colours (same or tonal or a lovely mix) of the tulips and also the other flowers around them and how you want them to look.
For Pots:
I would always make sure you put plenty of gravel down first so there is adequate drainage or mix grit with your soil. The bulbs don’t want to stew in waterlogged ground or pots. Then add a layer of soil (I use peat-free where possible). Then add in your bulbs - space the bulbs about 5–8cm apart within your cluster to give them room to grow without touching. Then add some manure and perhaps some moss on top to make the pots look lovely while you’re waiting. If trying to deter squirrels, add some rose cuttings (thanks for the tip Butter Wakefield) and then chicken wire on top.
For Garden Borders:
Same as above but no need for the gravel. Use a peat-free multi-purpose compost and think about mixing in a few handfuls of horticultural grit or perlite to help with
drainage. Dig deep, (about two to three times their own depth - roughly 20cm inches deep), to encourage them to return year after year rather than burning out; and really think about spacing. Plant in ‘drifts’ or groups: I never plant tulips in single file lines or isolated single bulbs, as it looks a bit sparse. Instead, dig a wide trench and plant them in dense clusters of 10 to 15 bulbs of the same or mixed variety.
Favourite Tulips:
Some of my favourite pot planting combinations:
My Strawberry Minuet Collection
And this is what I’m going to be putting in my borders, my Blackcurrant Parfait Collection.