Let’s talk Tulips!

Each fall, we plant about 10,000 - 12,000 Tulip bulbs on our farm. The blooms (and bulbs! More about that later…) are harvested the following spring.

Since we are a cut flower farm, we only grow Tulips intended to be harvested and displayed in a bouquet or bunch.

We do not grow Tulips to be displayed in the field or landscaping (in fact, we harvest them all BEFORE they bloom).

While planting and growing Tulips for as “Landscape flower” is quite straightforward, growing Tulips to harvest as a “Cut flower” is a completely different concept and method.

Since the concept can be a bit confusing, I wrote a comprehensive Blog post about growing Tulips as a cut flower. You can READ IT HERE.

Let’s go over some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about Tulips that show up in my inbox.

When should I plant Tulip bulbs?

Tulips are planted in the fall, before the soil freezes. It’s best to wait until after the soil temperature has cooled to below 60.

For people in extreme Northern climates, this may mean planting in September or October.

For people in warmer climates, this may mean planting between October and December.

We usually plant on our farm (Michigan, Zone 5b/6a) in mid to late November.

2. I live in a warm climate. Can I grow Tulips?

It depends. Tulips need a prolonged period (about 10-12 weeks) of cold temperatures between 35-45 F (or cooler) to grow and bloom properly.

If the Tulip bulbs do not have “chill time” in the ground, they will bloom very short, down in the leaves at ground level. If you’ve ever had Tulips bloom super short, it’s likely because they were not cold enough, long enough.

Many northern regions of the USA are sufficiently cold enough, but anyone growing in Zones listed at 7 or above on the USDA Zone Hardiness Map should consider “Prechilling” their bulbs for 6-12 weeks in a beverage refrigerator before planting them out.

(Note: Do NOT store them in a fridge with fruits/veggies, as the ethylene gas from fruits/veg can harm the bulbs. A wine or beverage fridge works best)

“Prechilling” in a fridge mimics the necessary long chill period and tricks the bulbs into thinking they have just experienced winter. Instead of “wintering” in the ground, the bulbs are “wintering” in your fridge. Plant the bulbs IMMEDIATELY after pulling them out of the refrigerator.

Here’s a sample timeline for growing Tulips in warmer climates:

Oct/Nov - place bulbs in the refrigerator for 6-12 weeks
Dec/early Jan - plant bulbs in the ground
Mar/April - Tulips bloom

(Note: Prechilled bulbs should be treated as Annuals. They will likely not rebloom the following year, because of insufficient chill time)

3. How deep should I plant the bulbs?

The general rule is to plant bulbs about 3x as deep as their length. For most Tulip bulbs, this means planting around 5-7 inches deep.

4. How do I plant the bulbs?

This depends on what your end goals are for your Tulips. There are 2 main end goals:

Growing for Landscape Use (to be enjoyed in the garden/landscape)
Growing for Cut Flower Use (to be enjoyed in the vase)

If your goal is Landscape Use, use a bulb planter to plant the bulbs 4-5 inches apart. Alternatively, you can dig a trench or large hole 5-7 inches deep, place the bulbs 4-5 inches apart, then backfill the trench/hole.

If your goal is Cut Flower Use, the bulbs can be planted much closer together, nestled like eggs in a carton (not quite touching each other, but snug). This method involves digging a trench or large hole 5-7 inches deep, placing the bulbs like eggs in a carton, then backfilling the trench (or building a temporary raised bed, as explained in this BLOG POST).

Tulips do best with full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.

Tulips require well-draining soil. They may rot in wet, heavy soils.

Water deeply once after planting the bulbs. Water moderately in the spring if the soil is dry. During the blooming season, water every 3-5 days if there is no rainfall.

5. How do I keep critters from eating my bulbs?

I feel your pain. The first time I planted 125 Tulip bulbs, the next spring I discovered voles had devoured 123 of the bulbs. I was devasted! It was a hard way to learn that I can’t plant Tulip bulbs without using some sort of protection.

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof method to keep your bulbs safe besides a physical barrier (completely encasing them in wire mesh). You can read THIS BLOG POST explaining the great lengths we go to our our farm to keep our bulbs safe over the winter. It is a LOT of work, but the only way we can avoid losing thousands of bulbs each year.

6. How do I keep deer and rabbits from eating my Tulips once they come up in the spring?

Again, there is no foolproof way to keep them safe besides a physical barrier (fencing). Deer will require a tall fence, while rabbits will require a fence that is sunk into the ground to prevent digging.

If this sounds like too much work, or if you have very intense deer/rabbit pressure, then perhaps growing Tulips is a not a good fit for your property. You may want to try growing more “deer resistant” spring bulbs, such as Daffodils and Allium.

7. How do I make sure my Tulips come back each year?

There are many factors to consider and it can be helpful to adjust your expectations.

Many Tulip varieties are bred to produce a beautiful bloom in their first season… and then decline in quality in subsequent years. It's advised to replace bulbs every 2-3 years for the best display.
Some Tulip varieties may perennialize, but many will not. Most climates in the USA cannot meet their needs and are not conducive to Tulip perennialization. Tulips are native to Central Asia (Turkey, Iraq, Russia) and thrive in climates that are similar - hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. There are very few climates in North America that can mimic these conditions required for perennialization.
These 3 varieties are most likely (but not guaranteed) to perennialize if the climate is right:
- Darwin Hybrid Tulips
- Emperor Tulips
- Triumph Tulips
Without a physical barrier to protect them, bulbs are often eaten by voles, mice, squirrels, etc.
After the Tulip has finished blooming, you can cut off the bloom at the top of the stem, but make sure to allow the rest of the stem and all the leaves to die back COMPLETELY before cleaning up the debris. If you remove the dying foliage too early, the bulb will not be able to photosynthesize and regenerate.
If you harvest the bloom for a bouquet (cut the stem away from the bulb), the bulb has lost its ability to photosynthesize and regenerate. Do NOT harvest the bloom if you want the Tulip to rebloom the following year. Tulips grown as a cut flower are treated as an Annual. I recommend growing your “Landscape Tulips” (treated as a Perennial) and “Cut Flower Tulips” (treated as Annual) separately.

8. Are there any Tulips you recommend as a cut flower?

Any Tulip can be grown and harvested as a cut flower.

However, on our farm, we prefer to grow “Double” or “Peony-flowering” types, “Parrot” types, “Fringed” types and a few select “Single” types…basically anything that doesn’t look like a standard landscape Tulip ;)

You can learn about a few of my favorite Tulip varieties for cut flowers in THIS BLOG POST.

How to Plant Tulip Bulbs

When should I plant Tulip bulbs?