Journey North International Tulip Study

Journey North International Tulip Study
How to Participate

Before Planting Your Garden
1. Register for Journey North
Registration is free, but only registered schools may report news from their gardens.

2. Order Your Tulip Bulbs
All gardens must be planted with Red Emperor Tulip bulbs. This is a scientific experiment, so all Journey North gardens must be planted with the same variety of bulbs! Purchase bulbs in your own community or order from our supplier.

3. Purchase a Tracking Map or Make Your Own
You'll need a map of North America to chart spring's progress across the Northern Hemisphere.

Plant Your Garden
4. Follow These Planting Instructions
For our experiment to be valid, all gardens must be planted in exactly the same way. (If you're in a southern region (Zones 8-11) read these "Special Instructions for Warm Regions"!)

5. Try These Fall Lessons

What is Spring, Anyway? (Take-Home Survey)
Tulips as Weather Tools (Dissection & Observations)
Deciding Where to Plant the Garden (Planting Rubric)
A Matter of Degrees (Understanding Microclimates)
Predicting the Arrival of Spring (Global Challenge)
Phenology Data Exchange (Find Your Partner Using Nature's Clues)
Replicating the Experiment (Take-Home Tulip Garden)

After Planting Your Garden
6. Report Back to Journey North

To Report
Press the owl button found on any page.

To become an official site, report back to Journey North after you have planted your garden. In the December 11th "Journey South" update, your garden will be listed and will appear on the map showing all participants. As an official participant, you'll be able to find a partner school and exchange data.

Please practice reporting now! If you have any trouble we would be happy to help you! Simply contact the Journey North help service at: our feedback form

Next Spring
7. Report Back to Journey North
Next spring you will report back to Journey North 2 times:

1st: When your tulips EMERGE
2nd: When your tulips BLOOM

Thank you for helping to track spring's journey across the Northern Hemisphere!