Welcome to the Journey North Tulip Project!
When should tulips be planted? Where? What kind? The
instructions below should be followed carefully so that all
Journey North gardens are planted in the same way.
WHEN TO PLANT
Planting must take place before deep frost hardens the
ground. As a rule of thumb, tulips should be planted 10-12
weeks before the average time the ground freezes in the
fall.
WHAT KIND TO PLANT
All Journey North gardens will be planted with the same
variety of tulips, the Red Emperor variety. Different tulip
varieties bloom at different times in the spring, and are
categorized as "early", "mid-season" and "late" blooming
varieties. The Red Emperor variety falls into the "early"
blooming category and was selected because Journey North
classrooms will record the first tulips to bloom in the
spring.
WHERE TO PLANT
Exposure: For consistency, Journey North tulip gardens
MUST NOT be planted near the foundation of a building, in
heavy shade or on ground that slopes to the north. This is
because sheltered areas near buildings warm up more quickly
than surrounding areas, stimulating bulbs to bloom earlier.
Similarly, shaded or north-facing areas will cause a delay
in booming. Spring bulbs can be planted in partial shade or
in full sun. Tulips should not be planted in heavily-shaded
areas.
Drainage: Avoid planting bulbs where water stands after a rain. Bulbs will rot if they sits in moisture. Therefore, plant them in well-drained soil and/or on sloped ground. A good loam soil is best. If the soil is heavy clay, add organic matter such as compost or peat moss to loosen it.
HOW TO PLANT
For simplicity, tulip bulbs can be planted in a bed rather
than individually. The entire bed should be planted at the
proper depth, as specified below. It is a good idea to
fertilize bulbs by adding bone meal and mixing it well with
the soil. If you choose to plant bulbs individually, either
a garden trowel or a bulb-plating tool can be used.
Depth: Bulbs in all Journey North gardens should buried so that the base of each bulb is exactly 7 inches underground. Blooming time can vary by a week or two if bulbs are not planted at the same depth. In fact, gardeners who want to prolong blooming time will intentionally plant their bulbs at varying depths. Bulbs should be spaced 4 inches apart.
Placement of Bulb: Set bulbs firmly in place with the POINTED END UP. The hole should be flat on the bottom so that the FLAT BASE of the bulb is in contact with the ground.
Cover with soil and water thoroughly. Moisture is necessary for the bulbs to take root before winter. If dry weather persists after planting, water thoroughly and deeply. Do not keep soil soggy or the bulbs could rot. After the ground freezes, apply about a six inch mulch of clean straw or leaves.
Predator Control: Squirrels are the most common tulip bulb predators in urban and suburban areas. They are attracted to the smell of fresh bulbs and are most likely to destroy gardens within the first weeks after planting. For inexpensive and effective protection, cover your newly planted bulbs immediately with chicken wire. Secure the edges with wire hangers that have been cut, formed into a U shape, and driven into the ground. Alternatively, bulbs can be covered with a board or with the saucer of a flower pot.
SPRING AND SUMMER CARE
Remove the winter mulch as soon as the shoots are 1-2 inches
high. Otherwise, the stems and leaves may be weak. Remove
blooms as soon as they are faded in order to conserve energy
for next year's flowers. Do not cut the leaves until they
turn yellow and wither. These leaves are needed to produce
the nutrition for next year's tulips. Bulbs may be
fertilized after the blooms fade. This is the critical time
in which they make the most use of the fertilizer. Liquid
applications of a 10-10-10 fertilizer can be applied as long
as the leaves appear green and vigorous.
© Journey North 1996