Site Matters
Think about your school yard. Planting tulips in different places will affect bloom times. How does where you plant your bulbs affect when your tulips emerge and bloom? Which areas do you think tulips would bloom early, where will they bloom late in the spring?

North or South
Where could you plant tulip bulbs to find out about affects of northern or southern exposures?

Sunny or Shady
How much sunlight does a tulip need to bloom? How much is too much, too little, and how much is just enough? Where would you plant to find out?

Hot or Cold
There are places around your school yard that have different temperatures. Where could you plant bulbs to explore how warm and cool conditions affect when tulips bloom?

Wet or Dry
Where would you find rich, dark soil in your school yard? Where would you find other kinds of soil? How do you think soil moisture will affect bloom time?

Windy or Calm
How do you think wind conditions affect bloom times?

Try the Microclimate Challenge
Cause two tulip bulbs to bloom as many days apart as possible.
Plant bulbs in contrasting conditions to explore how microclimate affects when tulips emerge and bloom. What do you think will happen? Share your findings on Journey North!