If you live in Zone 8, 9, 10 or 11 (California
or one of the Gulf States), you may need to refrigerate, or "pre-chill"
your Red Emperor tulip bulbs to force dormancy.Consult a "USDA
Plant Hardiness Zone Map."
Why
refrigerate the bulbs?
Tulips
are specialized plants that require a change of seasons and a
cold period to grow. Since temperatures in your region may not
meet this cold temperature requirement (40-45°F for 6 weeks), your tulips may not
grow properly. Therefore, you must refrigerate your bulbs to force dormancy. |
How
to refrigerate your bulbs:
You must refrigerate ("cold treat") your bulbs at 40-45°F degrees
for at least 6 weeks in order to force dormancy. This means your bulbs must be in the refrigerator by mid November to be ready for planting the first week of
January.
Place the bulbs in a brown paper bag. If possible, put them in peat
and keep them moist, but not wet. Do not remove them until you are
ready to plant.
Important: Do not store fruit in your refrigerator at the same time with
tulips. Apples and other fruits give off ethylene gas, a natural by-product
of ripening fruit. This gas could kill or delay the flower buds. |
|