Growing Tulips

I must preface by saying that I LOVE growing tulips!  Their petals are so soft and colorful that I just can’t help but sit and look at them in the garden.  Each year I plant more and more with the hope that one day that garden will look like the tulip fields in the Netherlands.

Planting the tulips really couldn’t get much easier. In zone 4 I gather the new tulip bulbs and plant them in the ground each fall.  I find that planting them 4-5 inches deep works well.

To enjoy the look of tulips throughout the (short) summer consider planting a variety of tulips; early bloom – late bloom.  This way you will have new tulips starting to bloom right as others are finishing their bloom.

Next spring I need to find a solution to the rabbits eating the leaves off of my tulip plants.  Sometimes they get the plant early enough that the stem/bloom never gets a chance to start.  If anyone has suggestions – I’m all ears!

When planted correctly you will find that the bulb multiplies through the summer.  Each year my tulips sprout with more and more new tulips around it.

Having a variety of colors of tulips makes for having a beautiful bouquet of cut flowers.

I regret not researching US Customs rules in regards to bulbs.  In 2015 I spent some time in Europe and really, really wanted to buy some tulip bulbs from “the source” in Amsterdam.  I ended up not purchasing any because I didn’t want to get stopped at the airport for bringing in foreign plants.

In my swag bag from this year’s Garden Blogger Fling I received a voucher for 100 free bulbs from Colorblends, a wholesale bulb seller.  This fall 100 Sherbet tulips will be mailed directly to my house, in time to plant before the snow fall!  I am so excited to treat myself to a new set of colorful tulips or daffodils each fall.

Here are just a few of the colors of tulips that I have growing in my front yard. Enjoy!