For spring tulips, choose firm bulbs in fall and plant them where the soil drains well and the emerging leaves will get good light. Tulips need a period of cold to flower. In places with mild winters, check the bulb supplier’s guidance on chilling and local planting time rather than assuming the same fall routine works everywhere.
How do you choose and place tulip bulbs?
Pick bulbs that feel firm and substantial for their size, without obvious cuts, soft patches or bruises. A low price is less useful if the bulbs have been stored badly. Choose the planting place before buying: tulips generally do best in a well-drained bed with plenty of sun during their spring growth, roughly six hours a day. Under a deciduous tree can work if the tulip foliage receives light before the tree leafs out. Check the site at the time the tulips will grow, not only at the time you plant.
The original planting guide suggests setting bulbs at about three times the bulb’s height. Follow the instructions for the bulbs you have bought and avoid a pocket where water stands, especially in clay soil. Deeper planting alone does not guarantee that tulips will return every year. Variety, drainage, climate and growing conditions all affect whether a planting persists.
What should you do after tulips flower?
Once the petals fall, leave the green leaves in place. They continue to gather light while the bulb stores energy for future growth. Cutting them off immediately makes it harder for a bulb to recover. If the fading foliage bothers you, tuck bulbs among perennials that come up as the tulips finish. Our post on beginning perennials can help when you are thinking about that companion planting.
The original article mentions blood meal as an optional nitrogen boost when shoots appear. Do not add it automatically: first consider the soil and the directions for any fertilizer you plan to use. Good drainage and a suitable spot matter more than promising a return from every bulb. For other things to watch as the beds wake up, see spring cleaning in the garden. If you want help placing bulbs within a larger planting, Nature’s Friends offers landscape design and installation.
