I finally inventoried all my tulips and created an index representing all the tulips that I currently have in my garden. That index can be found HERE. I will also be putting a link in my sidebar.
Although I knew I had a lot of different tulips I was still surprised to find that I currently have at least 49 varieties! There are 5 others that I am either still trying to figure out their variety or decide if they are present. A rough count of the tulip bulbs I did this spring came to around 1600 tulip bulbs. I buy about 300+ every year, and most do perennialize for me. In fact, I still have tulips from my very first planting that still bloom like mad!
With all those bulbs in the ground, I had to come up with a different way to plant them. It is far too difficult to see what is what and where in the fall when the bulbs are virtually invisible. That is how I came up with the brilliant plan to overwinter my new arrivals in pots and plant in the spring after everything is visible again. It works beautifully! I even get regular blooms out of the tulips that spring.
Tulips are definitely my favorite flower. I have already begun my tulip list for the fall. :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
:O I knew never knew Tulip had so many varieties! After reading this post, I did a search of tulips in wikipedia and there were at least a seventy species listed there! Wow! That's awesome.
Seeing your Tulipa Aladdin made me sniff as I lost ten bulbs (Dang, I am an idiot to let that happen) to mold! It was a gift from my sister. Sniff, sniff... I wonder if they'd survive the 90 deg. F heat of our city and bloom when it cools down. Would they? If so, I can ask my sis to get them for me again. Is there any specific tulip variety that's suitable for our climates?
49 varieties? What a collection! I planted my tulops in containers. Will see how they'll do next year.
Chandramouli S, heat is not a problem for them when they haven't emerged, but will hasten the blooms when they are above ground. What usually kills tulips is too much moisture or it never getting cold. They need a period of chill to reset their growth pattern. I'm not sure how cold it gets there, but you might do well to plant your tulips in a container to control the moisture and then store them in a refrigerator for a several months (our cold season is usually 4-5 months), then replant at a time so they will bloom when it is the coolest.
Tatyana@MySecretGarden, your winters are pretty mild so I think they will do fine. I would suggest that if your container has a large drainage hole you should place a piece of wire mesh over it to keep the critters from digging up into it and feasting on your bulbs.
Wow, I have nowhere near the number you do. I remember reading a history of tulips a few years ago. Buyers where paying a king's ransom for some of the more unusual tulip bulbs when they were first introduced. Thought that was interesting.
Good idea potting the bulbs and then seeing what else is blooming. Mine look so silly standing all alone because nothing else is blooming when they do.
Marnie
That is an impressive collection! Tulips can be iffy here in TN. What is your favorite one?
thanks for stopping by my blog. I love all your tulips. I don't seem to have much success with them in Southern Virginia. I think we need a longer cold period....that and the voles love them!!
Roses and Lilacs, Tulipmania. I think I have that.
I was kind of surprised that the pot thing worked so well. I thought that I would at least have to sacrifice the first year's blooms, but I didn't even have to do that!
Dave@TheHomeGarden, tulips are generally a northern/cold-temp plant.
My favorite one is Prinses/Princess Irene. My husband's favorite is Greenland.
Janet, I lost some to voles. The only remedy I know for voracious voles is caging your bulbs. Luckily, I haven't had to resort to that. They tend to stay near the buildings on our property.
Post a Comment