It is not exactly a big secret that I absolutely love to plant spring blooming bulbs – more specifically, I love tulips. Even before I started my adventures into gardening, I was able to identify tulips when seen growing in front of the neighbor’s house. As a person who knew absolutely nothing about gardening, tulips were a beautiful sight to behold each spring as the weather finally started to warm.
Spring blooming bulbs, which are planted in the fall, are a little bit of a luxury in my garden. This is for a variety of reasons, such as space. However, the main reason is the price. I usually don’t have the extra money to spend on things like tulip bulbs, which are only likely to bloom one season. This year, I wanted to make certain to set aside a few dollars to invest in some really beautiful bulbs.
The process of growing parrot tulips is much the same as growing any other variety of tulip. I like to start shopping around for bulbs around the end of September here in my growing zone. At my local home improvement store, it is not uncommon to see bulbs on sale for bargain prices around this time. However, I’ve never seed any parrot tulip bulbs offered locally. Many gardeners may consider pre-ordering some of these more special varieties of tulips, as they can definitely sell out quickly online.
Parrot tulips are easily recognized for their vibrant and frilly looking petals. While I wasn’t initially drawn to this type of flower, I was pleasantly surprised after growing it for the first time a few seasons ago. Not only do the blooms look absolutely amazing in flower beds and landscape plantings, but they look phenomenal when used as cut flowers in seasonal flower arrangements.
To plant, it is always best to follow the directions on the bulb package. Generally, I personally like to plant tulip bulbs at least twice as deep as they are tall. For me, it is best to find a well-draining and well-amended flower bed near my house. This seems to deter things like squirrels and mice from getting into the beds and eating the bulbs – which can be a huge source of frustration come spring bloom. If you live in a rural area, you will also need to consider taking precautions to protect your blooms against deer. I like to make sure that all of my tulip bulbs have been planted by the end of October. However, that date will definitely vary depending upon where you live.
Aside from a consistent chill (required for bloom) and a great location, tulips are generally carefree plants. This makes them one of my absolute favorite flowers, especially for beginner growers. In the comments below, I would love to hear all about your experiences growing tulips! What are your favorite varieties?
DON’T FORGET OUR 120 PAGE FREE GARDEN EBOOK! CLICK HERE!
I like tulips too. However, the deer will dig up the bulbs and eat them. So I can’t afford to buy bulbs each year. I go for deer resistant plants.
I have the same problem. This year I am planting tulips, narcissus, hyacinthus and mascari bulbs “lasagne-style” in big pots. I’ll keep them cold in the garage and put them on the deck very early spring.
Squirrels like to raid my tulips too, si I’m hoping the aluminum screening pieces I have along with some hardware cloth will help them survive the winter…I plan to plant my bulbs then cover them with dirt and then the sceening etc along with some rocks to hold it in place thru the winter months. Come spring, I will remove the screen and hopefully see my newtulips growing !