When to plant tulips in autumn in open ground
Tulips enchant with their beauty and tenderness. They are easy to care for, frost-resistant and bloom luxuriantly in all regions of Russia. An important stage is planting tulip bulbs on the site. The process is simple, but with its secrets. In this article we will tell you when to plant tulips in open ground in the fall and what recommendations from experienced gardeners to follow.
Why is it better to plant tulips in autumn: advantages and disadvantages
Autumn is appropriate time to board all garden flowers. Over the winter, tulips take root, adapt to new conditions and delight with lush flowering already this coming spring. The advantage of autumn planting is that the bulbs grow a powerful root system and receive nutrition and moisture from the ground. In spring, the earth has just warmed up and has not yet had time to absorb all the fertilizing.
Before the onset of autumn, you can purchase tulips for every taste and color in garden nurseries. And in the spring, problems arise with such a purchase - you have to be content with the leftovers. Also in the fall, the plant hardens faster, which helps it survive cold and winds.
Minus: if you don’t mulch the soil, some bulbs will freeze. For example, out of 10 planted plants, only 7-8 will take root. It is important to comply with planting deadlines. If you delay this and plant tulips when the first frost has already arrived, the bulbs will die.
How to properly store tulips before planting in the fall
Tulips are purchased for planting from mid-summer. They are stored under special conditions, otherwise the planting material will deteriorate and you will have to buy new bulbs.
The optimal storage temperature at the initial stage is about +24°C, in August - +20°C. 7-10 days before planting, the indicators are reduced to +15°C. Temperature changes harden the bulbs.
Florists make sure that the tulips are not exposed to direct sunlight. High humidity is also contraindicated - it leads to the development of diseases and the proliferation of insect pests. For example, if the bulbs are stored in the basement, then ventilate it regularly. However, lack of moisture is also dangerous for flowers - it leads to drying.
Attention! Before purchasing, the bulbs are inspected for spots or signs of disease. Only healthy specimens are selected, without defects. It is convenient and safe to store them in newspaper - it protects against rot, dryness and disease.
Planting tulips in autumn: determining planting dates
The success of planting depends on what day the procedure is carried out. Bulbs take 1.5 months to take root, so even before the onset of cold weather they must grow a root lobe.
Flower growers, regardless of region, pay attention not only to the date on the calendar, but also to weather conditions.
Landing time in the Moscow region, Siberia, the Urals and other large regions
In the southern regions (Rostov region, Stavropol Territory, Crimea), bulbs are planted on the plot from mid-September to mid-October. In the Urals and Siberia - from the end of August until the end of September.
The optimal time for central Russia is mid-September, for the Leningrad region - the end of September. If you plant flowers ahead of schedule, the flower freezes in winter; later, the roots do not have time to develop.
According to the lunar calendar 2020-2021.
In 2020Favorable days for sowing are September 4-9 and 11-15. At this time the moon is waxing, it is believed that planting will proceed without problems and will bring good results. In October 2020, the dates chosen for the procedure are 18-22 and 25-29. The Moon is in the signs of Leo, Cancer and Taurus - a favorable location for quick adaptation.
In 2021 it is 2-5, 11-15, 21-25 September and 3-7, 11-14, 28 October. These days you can not only plant tulips, but also carry out other agrotechnical measures - watering, fertilizers.
Attention! An important aspect of choosing a day for planting is weather conditions. There should be no wind, rain, or fog. Suitable air temperature is about +13°C.
How to plant tulips in open ground in the fall: basic subtleties and rules
It is important not only to figure out when to plant tulips in the fall, but to do it correctly. The procedure includes several important stages: preparation of the bulbs and planting site, selection of soil and the process itself landings.
Choosing a place and preparing a bed
The flower garden is located in a sunny place. This should be a well-lit area, protected from winds and drafts. Shading leads to poor growth and the buds grow small.
Tulips are often planted in a common flower garden, next to other plants, or in separate flower beds - near a fence or dacha, in the corners of the garden. There should be no stagnation of water. This leads to the development of fungal and bacterial diseases.
Attention! The flowering period of tulips is short - 1-2 weeks. Afterwards, the colorful flower beds will lose their attractive appearance, which spoils the impression. Therefore, it is recommended to plant flowers with a longer flowering period nearby: forget-me-nots, pansies, Iberis.
The bed is prepared a month before planting. Any shape, most often the bulbs are planted in a circle or rectangle. The bed is dug to a depth of 30 cm, weeds are removed along with the roots and the remains of last year's plants.
A prerequisite is good drainage. This could be a layer of broken brick or marble chips. Drainage prevents moisture stagnation and root rotting. Next, prepare nutritious and balanced soil.
Preparing the soil for planting
Tulips love light and fertile soil. It must be breathable and contain humus or peat. Not recommended grow flowers on heavy clay soils, roots develop poorly in such conditions. Flowers prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soil with an acidity level of about 7 pH. If the soil in the area is acidic, then after digging it is limed. This lowers the pH level.
Then mineral and organic fertilizers are applied - bulbous flowers respond well to them. Flower growers use ready-made products, for example “Aminozol” - a liquid organic fertilizer with amino acids. It strengthens the immunity of tulips and increases their frost resistance. They also use “Root Feeder” - a long-acting complex fertilizer with microelements. The product improves the decorative qualities of flowers.
Instead of store-bought fertilizers, you can use a mixture of rotted humus (5 kg), granulated bird droppings (200 g) and bone meal (200 g). The ingredients are thoroughly mixed and added to the ground when digging. They nourish the soil, neutralize acidity and create favorable conditions for the germination of bulbs.
Preparing bulbs for planting in open ground
The bulbs are peeled, visually inspected for damage and sorted by size.. Next, they are disinfected - use a weak solution of potassium permanganate (2 g per 1 liter of water) or the drug “Fundazol”.
The latter method is the most effective, removes all pathogens and protects against diseases. 15 g of “Fundazol” is dissolved in 5 liters of water and the bulbs are sprayed with it. Next, the planting material is placed on a dry cloth or paper to dry.
Attention! You can disinfect the bulbs using a solution of celandine - this herb grows in any garden. You will need 250 g of dry crushed celandine and 500 ml of water. The ingredients are mixed and boiled for 5-7 minutes, then cooled and washed with onion solution.
Autumn tulip planting scheme
Planting depth in autumn depends on the size of the bulb.. For example, large specimens are placed at a depth of about 12 cm, small ones - 7 cm. Flower growers do not plant bulbs deeper than 15 cm - the tulips will not take root. Experienced summer residents use the “rule of three heights” - the planting depth should be equal to the height of 3 bulbs. For example, if the height of the bulb is 3 cm, then the depth is 9 cm.
If your goal is to get a large and lush flower bed, then the interval between the bulbs varies from 12 to 22 cm, if there is little space - about 8 cm. The variety also affects the distance - tall ones are planted further away from each other so that the flowers do not interfere with each other’s development.
Caring for tulips after planting
It is not enough to plant tulips correctly on the site; it is also important to pay attention to agrotechnical procedures. They care for the flower garden not only in spring and summer, but also in the cold months.
Autumn care
After planting, tulips are watered - this will be the first and last watering in the coming year. Next time the soil will be watered only in the spring. For 1 sq. m pour about 5 liters of water - flowers do not tolerate waterlogging, especially in autumn.
After watering, use mulch: organic (sawdust, sand, ash) or artificial (vermiculite, gravel or expanded clay). The advantage of organic mulch is that it not only performs a protective function, but also nourishes the soil. The artificial one has a beautiful appearance - the flowerbed looks well-groomed and neat. Flower growers also use bark, wood chips, and paper.
If the land for planting is not fertilized with organic and mineral fertilizers, then do this 2 weeks after the procedure. Summer residents add phosphorus-potassium complexes containing organic acids. These are special fertilizers for flowers: “Epin”, “Fertika”, “Bona Forte”.
Winter care
If tulips grow in northern regions, then for the winter they are covered with hay or spruce branches. The shelter protects not only from frost, but also from mice and other rodents. When growing tulips in the south, no shelter is required.
The flower garden does not need any other care in winter - flower growers return to agrotechnical procedures only in the spring, when the snow has melted.
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Conclusion
Understanding when and how to plant tulips in the countryside is not difficult. The main thing is to monitor the weather conditions and prepare the area for the flower garden in advance. The soil should be loose and fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline.
Before planting, the bulbs are inspected and disinfected so that only healthy specimens enter the site. They are buried and covered with earth, watered abundantly. If the region is northern, then for the winter the tulips are covered with spruce branches or hay.