Actually tulips plants are among the
earliest spring bloomers in the outdoor garden but they are rarely grown as
standard indoor houseplants. This is because the bulbs actually need an
extended cold period each year to reset themselves for new blooms. The
botanical name of tulip plant is Tulipa spp and the common name is tulip. Tulip
is a flowering perennial bulb and is toxic humans and pets.
How Do You Get Tulip Bulbs to Bloom
Indoors?
Tulips plants are not really traditional
houseplants, since the plant need an extended chill period during a dormant
season in order to bloom annually. The careful timing requirements actually
make Tulip plants considerably more difficult to grow indoors when compared to
outdoor growing. But because Tulip plants can be planted quite close together
in pots, the plant make an excellent seasonal display for any home, including
the smallest apartments. The best tulip types for forcing are Single Early, Triumph,
Darwin Hybrids, and Double Early.
Furthermore, the typical method is to
pot the tulip bulbs about October 1, then put the planted pots into chilled
conditions for 3 or 4 months before bringing them out into warmer, sunnier
conditions to sprout and bloom.
By timing the chilling period
carefully, you can force tulips to bloom at a time of your choosing. Normally,
tulips will bloom about seventeen to twenty-two weeks after you begin the
chilling period on the bulbs—twelve to sixteen weeks for chilling, about a week
for sprouts to appear, then another 4 or 5 weeks until they reach full bloom.
Gardeners who want Valentine's Day blooms, for example, might begin chilling
the bulbs in early October.
How to Take Care of Potted Tulips
Indoors
Sunlight requirement: Do indoor
tulips need sun? During the chilling period, potted tulip plants really need to
be kept in the dark. When you take the plant out of chilling, keep them in dark
conditions for about 4 or 5 days until sprouts appear. Then, move the potted
tulip plants into brighter, warmer conditions until the tulip plants begin to
flower, which normally takes 4 or 5 weeks. Once in full flower, the plants are
best moved to a spot with slightly less intense sunlight, which will preserve
the blooms longer.
Temperature and humidity requirement:
Careful control of temperature is very important for getting tulip bulbs to
bloom indoors. First, the potted Tulip bulbs need to undergo a chilling period
at forty to forty-five degrees Fahrenheit for twelve to sixteen weeks. Move the
potted tulip plants out of their chill conditions 5 or 6 weeks before the
anticipated bloom. For the first 4 or 5 days, keep the plant in relatively cool
and dark conditions until sprouts appear, then move them into a warmer, sunnier
location until they begin to flower. About sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit is an
ideal temperature for flowering tulips.
Should you want to save the Tulip bulbs
and attempt to reuse them after blooming is complete, dig out the Tulip bulbs,
brush off the soil, and then store them in a relatively warm, dry location
until outdoor planting time, which is normally the following fall.
Water requirement: You have to water
the tulip bulbs thoroughly immediately after planting and also whenever the
soil begins to feel dry to the touch. Don’t allow the tulip bulbs to dry out
completely until after the blooms have faded.
Fertilizer requirement: Actually tulip
bulbs forced indoors usually require no feeding since they are usually
discarded after blooming. However, if you want to try reusing the bulbs in the
outdoor garden after the indoor forced blooms are done, it is best to give the
growing plants some bulb fertilizer in other to restore energy to the bulbs.
Pruning and maintenance: Actually no
maintenance is really needed with forced bulbs, but if you want to try reusing
the bulbs you can allow the foliage to continue growing in full sun as long as
possible, until it turns yellow and dries up. At this point, dig out the tulip bulbs
and then store them in a warm, dry location until outdoor planting time.
Container and size: A pot with a
wide, flat bottom will work best for tulips since it is not likely to tip over
when the tulips get top-heavy with blooms. The pot should be six to eight inches
deep, with a tray or saucer to catch water. Clay, ceramic, plastic, or metal
pots can also work well for growing indoor tulips.
Potting soil and drainage: An ordinary
potting soil or well-decayed compost is perfect for growing tulip bulbs in
indoor pots. Make sure the pot have good drainage holes.
Potting and Repotting Tulip Plants
Just fill the container with a half
full of potting soil or compost, and then position the tulip bulbs onto the
soil with the pointed side up. Then, place the tulip bulbs no more than two
inches apart for the best display. A lot of gardeners recommend planting tulip
bulbs with the flat side facing the sides of the container, which causes the
foliage to spill over the sides of the pot as the plants grow. Just cover the tulip
bulbs with potting soil to within ¼ inch of the rim and water thoroughly before
putting the pot into chill storage.
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