Planting tulips is a little bit of a leap of faith. You bury a pile of bulbs in cold dirt in the fall, walk away, and trust that come spring, they’ll be the first color of the season. It’s one of my favorite fall jobs for exactly that reason.
Here’s how I plant mine, including the one step I never skip.
When to plant
Plant once the soil has cooled down but before the ground freezes. For me in zone 5a, that’s mid October into early November.
Pick your spot
Tulips want sun and soil that drains well, because bulbs sitting in soggy ground can rot. I plant mine in one of my regular rows, but I make a temporary raised bed there because of the critters (more on that next).
The step I never skip: a critter cage
Voles and squirrels love tulip bulbs. Like, love them. Voles tunnel in from below and squirrels dig from above, so I protect mine with a critter cage made of 1/4 inch hardware cloth on the bottom and the top. No critter snacks on my watch! I build the cage first, then plant my bulbs right into it.
I haven’t lost tulips (yet!), but I have had mice eat some very expensive corms. Between the vole tunnels I can clearly see in my yard and the amount of squirrels around here, I’m not risking it!
How I build it:
Start with a cleared bed. You could go right over grass too, but it will kill the grass.
Roll out the hardware cloth. I use 1/4 inch hardware cloth. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s actually metal! It’s easy to work with, but I wear gloves, and you’ll need wire cutters to cut it.
Attach the boards. Place boards along the edges of the cloth and staple the cloth to each board every 1 to 2 feet so it’s secure.
Stand the boards up. Raise the boards onto their sides and hammer in rebar stakes to hold them in place.
Add compost. Fill the bottom with a few inches of compost.
Add your bulbs. I dump them right in and gently separate them so they’re not touching. Don’t get too particular about which side is up or exact spacing! I leave a little space between varieties and put labels outside the bed so I know which is which.
Cover them up. Add several more inches of compost on top.
Water them in.
Close the cage. Roll hardware cloth over the top and secure it with a staple gun. You’ll have to work around the stakes. I keep the inner ones flush with the board and move the outer ones out of the way as I bend the cloth over the edge.
Cover, check, then wait
Once the cage is closed, I add a layer of leaves on top for extra protection. Then I keep an eye on the cage for any signs that someone is trying to get in. You won’t know if the bottom held up until spring, but you can check the top for squirrels.
Then comes the hard part: waiting until spring.
Good to know about tulips for cutting
Many flower farmers treat tulips as one season flowers and plant fresh bulbs each fall, because they often don’t bloom as well the second year. That’s what I do too! Buying fresh bulbs every year is expensive, but being able to trust the quality is worth it.
One more tip: order early. The biggest bulbs and the best varieties go fast. My rule of thumb is to order for next season while my tulips are blooming, or just after they finish.
Planting bulbs is one of the steps in my cut flower garden fall clean up, so check that out too!
By early spring, we’re all just so ready for flowers, color and life again. Thinking about starting a cut flower garden, but not sure where to start? My free guide, Your First Cut Flower Garden, walks you through it step by step.
Love ya, you’re doing great,
Amanda
