STOP! These Tulip planting mistakes could kill your bulbs, by Walking Talking Gardeners on YouTube. 12 min 49 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 49 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Check each bulb before planting. Squeeze it gently and reject any that are soft, mouldy or smell bad, since rot spreads to healthy bulbs in the same pot.
Pick a pot with drainage holes and fill the bottom third with fresh compost mixed with a handful of grit if the mix feels heavy.
Place bulbs with the pointy end up and the flat base down. Space them about two bulb widths apart so they do not touch.
Plant at roughly three times the bulb's height. A 5 cm bulb goes about 15 cm deep, so add compost until the bulbs sit at that level.
Fill the pot with compost and firm it gently. Leave a 2 cm gap below the rim so you can water without it spilling over.
Water well once and put the pot somewhere cool and sheltered. Keep the compost barely moist, not soggy, through winter.
Wait until November in mild areas before planting, or move pots into a cool shed if you planted earlier, to reduce the risk of tulip fire.
Feed once at planting by mixing a slow-release bulb feed into the compost. In spring, when shoots appear, switch to a high-potash liquid feed every two weeks.
Tips and common mistakes
Never let pots sit in a saucer of water, as waterlogged compost rots the base of the bulb.
Squirrels dig up shallow bulbs, so plant deep and cover the pot with mesh or chicken wire until shoots appear.
Terracotta pots dry out faster than plastic, so check the compost more often in a dry spring.
Do not plant bulbs that feel light and hollow, as they usually fail to flower.
Questions
Can I plant tulip bulbs in pots in October?
Yes, but in mild areas waiting until November lowers the risk of tulip fire. If you plant early, keep the pot cool and avoid warm, wet spells.
How many tulips fit in a 30 cm pot?
About five to seven large bulbs spaced two bulb widths apart. Crowding them closer than that gives weaker stems and smaller flowers.
Do potted tulips come back every year?
Often, if you feed them in autumn and again with high-potash feed in spring. Many modern varieties fade after a few years, so replace the bulbs when flowering drops.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
