Introduction Of The Tulip
Looking bold and beautiful, and bringing the good news of spring's return, the tulip awakens in the garden in a gorgeous array of colors. A hardy perennial, the tulip is easily one of the most admired flowers of the world even today.

Genus and History of The Tulip
The tulip belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus Tulipa includes about 100 species. The origin of its name is from tulpend, the Turkish turban which it closely resembles in shape. It is a native of Turkey and is its national flower. It was cultivated there as far back as 1000A.D. The Sultans of the Ottoman Empire considered the tulip as a symbol of their power and prestige.

In 1593, Clusius, a professor of Botany at the University of Leiden in Holland, received some tulip bulbs from Constantinople. He grew them in his garden and soon his plants with their dainty flowers became widely known. Apparently, Clusius was very possessive of them and this led to attempts to steal them. Soon Holland and Europe became possessed by 'tulip mania'. In those frenzied days, a tulip bulb could cost as much as 1500 to 3000 dollars. But since then growing tulips has been made an aesthetic, scientific and marketing endeavor in Holland and today it is the tulip capital of the world.

Description and Popular Types of Tulips
Tulips grow from bulbs that are planted in the fall. They can be grown from seeds too but flowering is a slow process. Their blooming season depends upon the cultivars and climatic zones. They are either early flowering or May flowering tulips.

Tulips are bell shaped and each blossom has six petals. Their leaves are shiny, long, thick and green and are grouped at the base of the plant. Tulip colors extend from virgin white to a purplish black shade. Thousands of tantalizing hybrids with a phenomenal range of mixed colors and names are available today.

Older varieties were grown by crossing T. gesneriana and T. suaveolens. Modern varieties are the offspring of T.fosteriana, T. greigi or T. kaufmanniana. Breeders tulips, cottage tulips, Darwin tulips, lily flowered tulips, Mendel tulips, parrot tulips lily flowered, triumph tulips are popular varieties.

Guidelines for growing Tulips

Climate Required for Growing Tulips
Tulips grow well in temperate zones. The USDA Climate Hardiness table gives clear instructions for planting in each zone. For example, in zones 4 to 5 it recommends planting from September to early October while for zone 10 it is late December to early January.

Planting Tulips
First, plan the layout for planting. Choose locations which are sheltered from strong winds and are not low lying. Tulips are great outdoors for beds, borders, rock gardens and as mass plantings or in combination with other springtime beauties. By adopting forcing techniques, they can be grown indoors in pots and window boxes.

Soil Preparation For Growing Tulips
A rich loamy soil is required. Dig the soil 8 to 12'' deep and make it weed free. Mix into this organic matter like compost, leaf mold or peat moss. Add 2 to 3 lbs of a 5-10-10 fertilizer per square foot. Bone meal is great for tulips as a nutrient.

Light Requirements for Growing Tulips
Locations that receive 4 to 6 hours of sunlight and also enjoy partial shade are ideal. Tulips need good sunlight while growing, flowering and after flowering too to ensure healthy bulbs again.

Watering Tips for Tulips
Poor drainage and over watering will lead to improper rooting and also rotting of bulbs. Deep watering but less frequently will assure strong healthy tulips all through the season.

How to Plant Tulips
Plant each bulb 6'' deep and 5'' apart with the pointed tip facing up. If the soil is light and sandy then dig 8'' deep to keep bulbs cool and to protect them from voles. After planting, firm the soil around and water well. Till new leaves are seen, do not water. In cold zones, cover the site with straw mulch to encourage bulbs to begin growth before the soil freezes. In zones of mild winter mulch helps to keep bulbs cool. Remove the mulch a month after planting to quicken growth.

Flowering Season For Tulips
Tulip season is divided into Early Flowering, Mid Season and Late Tulips season. If each variety is sorted accordingly, a planned gardener can enjoy tulips in succession, from March to May.

After Flowering
Once flowering is over, cut off wilted flowers, yellowed and withered leaves. Keep foliage green and healthy as long as possible to obtain good bulbs for next spring. Let the tulip bulbs remain in the soil or you can carefully lift them and shake off the soil and roots on them. Air dry the bulbs for a few days before storing them away in a cool, dry and well ventilated place. Onion bags, nylon stockings and shallow seed trays lined with wire netting are good for storing. Keep bulbs away from direct sunlight and check often for disease. Replant these bulbs when the time is right for the following season and let the rhythm of life begin all over again.

If you like Tulips.....These pages might also interest you:

Allium Directory, Amaryllis Directory, Begonia Directory, Crocus Directory, Daffodils Directory, Dahlia Directory, Hyacinth Directory, Iris Directory, Lily Directory, Tulip Directory