Date: 12/03/2012

Number: 1

Our class of 30 has been divided up into 10 smaller groups each planting 2-3 Red Emperor (Tulipa fosteriana) bulbs that we learned originated from Central Asia. We learned that this bulb was selected because it is easy to grow, has big red blooms, and shows up early in the spring.
Each group came up with different ways to plant their bulbs (using Journey North’s guidelines). To prevent damage from squirrels some groups covered the ground with chicken wire or used animal repellent and planted their bulbs at 7” (18 cm). Other groups went with their research and simply planted them at a slightly deeper depth-8” (21 cm). Since we were planting in a “hard-clay” soil, some groups planted the bulbs in a “mulched” area, whereas other groups planted them in the soil and used a weak fertilizer (bone meal) to help growth. We waited until the end of zone 7B to plant so that the soil temperature was below 60 F (15 C), making sure the bulbs were “tips-up”, and in a full-partial sun location at the front of our school, away from any pavement or buildings.
Our class also planted 10 additional bulbs in an “incorrect area”; 5-inside our courtyard next to our greenhouse and 5- directly next to our school sign. According to the research these locations will cause the tulips to bloom earlier than our experimental bulbs; we will see!

(This is a combined letter from each group in Parkside’s 7th grade science enrichment class).

Manassas, VA

Latitude: 38.8 Longitude: -77.5

Observed by: Ed
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