Tulips

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In addition, tulips are among the most hybridized of all flowers, with hybrids available in a staggering array of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Some of the most popular tulip hybrids include pastels, spotted tulips, bicolor tulips and tricolor tulips.

There are also hybrids in the brightest hues, and even a variety that is almost black in color. The tulip comes in a variety of shapes as well. In addition to the classic egg shaped bloom, there are varieties with blossoms resembling the shapes of peonies and lilies. The blooming season for most varieties of tulips runs from mid to late spring. Most tulips need a period of extended cold in order to look and bloom their best. Feeding with a high quality, nitrogen rich fertilizer will encourage multiple blooming. The fertilizer should be applied before the first bloom for best results. In mild climates, it is best to refrigerate tulip bulbs for six weeks before they are planted. While it is possible for tulip bulbs to remain in the ground, most gardeners treat them as annuals and replant them each year. Doing so is often the best way to get the best blooms year after year. Tulips like full sun, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule during their growing and blooming periods. It is best to plant tulip bulbs in the fall, and tulip bulbs should be planted three times as deep as the bulb is wide. Therefore, a 2” wide bulb would be planted 6” deep. It is important to leave sufficient space between the planted bulbs as well, from four to eight inches depending on the size of the bulb.