Tulips for a beginner!

[Amandaod]

Hello everyone! I got my allotment back in May so still on a very steep learning curve after never gardening in my life. I am concentrating on veg but interested in making my allotment pretty as well, as I don't have any type of garden.

I'm looking at having a border of tulips for next year and just wondered if they grow okay in awful Scotland winters? I've looked it up online and there's a lot of information about growing in containers (which I plan to do around my shed too). Are they okay to just plot in the ground in Autumn and leave over winter? Or am I supposed to start those I wish in the ground inside first? There was some stuff about protecting over winter which threw me! Complete newbie here so sorry if these are stupid questions. Feel free to be very condescending in your answer

Thank you in advice! All tips are welcome.

[Martin H]

Hi Amanda,

Tulips are pretty hardy things and they need a nice cold winter to get them started. Get them out in the ground in Autumn, planted nice and deep (top of the bulb at least 4 inches below the soil surface) so that they don't get frosted and you'll have a great display in late Spring.

They grow them in the Beechgrove Garden, it's pretty cold up there in Aberdeenshire too.

I think they look good poking through a bed of blue forget-me-nots, you can sow seed for those now if you want and move them when you put the tulips out. They are shallow-rooted so they don't interfere with the tulips.

Good luck!

[Jungle Jane]

There a good thread about layering bulbs,to prolong the flowering of the container which I must remember to do this year. Here's a link to it.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ing_84718.html

[Amandaod]

Thank you these are great tips!! I am so looking forward to the next season.

[bend1pa]

There's a bit more to growing tulips successfully then sticking the bulbs in a hole in the ground and hoping for the best.

a) They need a sunny site, so growing them in a shady spot will not do.
b) The planting hole needs to be at least 5" -6" deep, so do not plant them less than that depth. Also put some grit in the bottom of the hole and fork it into the soil a good 2 inches to ensure drainage. If the bulbs sit in water they will rot.
c) Wait until November and a dry spell to plant the bulbs. Just before a cold snap is due is ideal time to plant tulip bulbs.

For early tulips (late Feb - late March buy Kaufmanniana varieties such as Stresa, Johann Straus etc. These are short in height up to 10" tall. Also the Greigii tulips which follow the Kaufs and are similar in height but flower into late April. Good varieties are Red Riding Hood, Fur Elise, Pinnochio. If you want tall tulips (2ft tall) for April consider the Fosteranias like Red Emperor or White Emperor. If you want big tulips for May consider any of the Darwinii Hybrids.

All the above are perennial types so they should return each year and even multiply if you don't cut their leaves off once they finish blooming. Finally, watch out for slugs and squirrels as they can be a real problem if you grow tulips.

[4390evans]

I think as long as they are planted at the correct depth and have good drainage they grow anywhere.

[rary]

Hello Amandaod, tulips will grow well in Scotland, I have planted them into large containers when the tops of the containers have had frost on them and they have grown well, but plant them any time after October and I am sure you will be pleased with them. Remember the larger the container the better as this helps keep the frost off them.

[Gillykat]

Some good info there! I'm much the same as you Amanda - got my very first allotment in February this year and (just read your blog) it sees like we've followed much the same path....dug it over and got it looking great, been completely and utterly TERRIFIED at all that space and how the heck to fill it all and it seems we have both met The Dreaded Weeds!!!! A family bereavement had me neglect my plot in early June for two/three weeks and it was like a jungle when I got back!!!! I feel like I'm still struggling to keep the weeds (sow thistle mainly) at bay but I'm not allowing any to set seed so hopefully that'll help. Forecast is good this week so I'm going to do a bit of tidying on the plot and also pull all the previous owner's stuff out of our shed and clean it up, evict the spiders and probably paint it on the inside as it's so dark and dingy

I've got a few daffodils to plant soon and tulips for next month so I'll bear the depth & drainage tips in mind

[Amandaod]

Some good info there! I'm much the same as you Amanda - got my very first allotment in February this year and (just read your blog) it sees like we've followed much the same path....dug it over and got it looking great, been completely and utterly TERRIFIED at all that space and how the heck to fill it all and it seems we have both met The Dreaded Weeds!!!! A family bereavement had me neglect my plot in early June for two/three weeks and it was like a jungle when I got back!!!! I feel like I'm still struggling to keep the weeds (sow thistle mainly) at bay but I'm not allowing any to set seed so hopefully that'll help. Forecast is good this week so I'm going to do a bit of tidying on the plot and also pull all the previous owner's stuff out of our shed and clean it up, evict the spiders and probably paint it on the inside as it's so dark and dingy

I've got a few daffodils to plant soon and tulips for next month so I'll bear the depth & drainage tips in mind

Glad it's not just me!! My poor blog was also abandoned but determind to get back to it as really want a record of the progress. Have you managed to grow much this year? Mine is looking very poor, half covered and most things are ready to come up anyway so it's going to be very bare. Very much looking forward to next year!!