Tulip Care Before, During, and After the Growing Season

Conscientious tulip care starts before tulip bulbs are even planted. Then, after you have planted them, you need to know how to nurture them properly so they grow to full bloom. After the growing season is over, your job is still not done.

You should take to properly care for your tulips, before, during, and after the growing season. The following is a list of tulip care tips for those who live in tulip USDA zones 3 through 7:

Tulip Care Before Growth

1. Purchase the largest sized tulip bulbs possible. It is known by gardening professionals that the larger the size of the tulip bulb planted the bigger and better tulip you will get. Also, remember to purchase your tulip bulbs from a reputable dealer. This would be someone who specializes in tulip care, tulip growth, and tulip bulb sales.
2. If you live in a warmer climate chill the bulbs before planting. If you are in an area which is hot most of the year then you may need to refrigerate your tulip bulbs for approximately 8 weeks at 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Either that or you would have to choose a tulip variety such as the Darwin hybrids. This particular type of tulip do not require a long winter dormancy period before planting.
3. Plant them at the correct time. Usually the planting season for many tulips is around November 1^st.  This of course highly depends upon the type of tulip you plant. Remember that every tulip has a different blooming time and different planting time.  It is important to know when exactly your tulip is meant to bloom before you begin to plant it. If you do not know for sure when to plant them you can contact your local cooperative extension for more advice.
4. Plant them at the right temperature. Most tulip bulbs should be planted when the ground drops to a temperature of 60 degrees or lower.
5. Planting tulips in the correct soil (or prepare the soil properly). Generally speaking tulips prefer a sandy, well-drained soil. They will not do well in extremely wet, heavy soil. If this is a problem in your area, you have a solution. You can purchase peat moss and add a compost mixture to the soil that will help lighten and dry the soil. Your tulips will do better in the right type of soil. Therefore, do whatever you can to treat the soil properly. Either that, or add new soil to the ground that the tulips are more likely to thrive in. Another tip for preparing soil for tulip growth is to make a mound of soil into a raised flower bed. This will both raise the temperature of the soil as well as help dry the soil. You can also find other full-sun areas where the soil is drier and plant those tulips there.
6. Plant them at the correct depth. Tulips bulbs usually need to be planted 6 inches underground for best results. You would start out by digging the soil to a depth of 1 foot and them adding in some bulb fertilizer.
7. Plant your bulbs with the pointed end up.
8. In extreme cold areas mulch the soil. If the soil is frozen then you can add 4 to 6 inches of straw or hay for extra protection. However, this protection is not recommended until several inches of the ground is frozen. 
9. Give them Plenty of Water. If it you plant them after a good soaking fall rain you do not have to water them. Otherwise, you will have to water them in order for the bulbs to start taking root in the ground. If your are in an area that is warm year round water hot, dry flower beds once a week. 
10. Fertilize your flowers twice a year. In order to encouraged tulip growth year after year you need to fertilize them up to twice a year. The best time to feed them is in the early fall and early spring (before they bloom again). The best way to feed them is to add a tablespoon of a granular fertilizer on the soil around each bulb. This should be done before flowering because feeding your tulips after flowering could cause a disease.  
11. Cut your flowers every year. Cut back the tulip flower stalk after blooming and leave the foliage to yellow and die naturally. This will provide the tulip plant with nutrients that will produce the energy in order for it to produce flowers the following year.

You can also plant additional tulips in order to make sure that you will have new growth next year. However, if you take in account the above mentioned tips in tulip care, you will be sure to have tulips that will grow year after year.