Planting tulip bulbs

Traditional Dutch tulips are beautiful flowers that are guaranteed to brighten up your garden or balcony. If you want to plant tulip bulbs but don’t know how, just follow the steps below – you can’t go wrong!

Tulip bulbs from FAM Flower Farm

Isn't it amazing how a bulb can transform itself into a stunning flower in virtually any colour of the rainbow? In addition to their aesthetic appeal, tulips are also great for nature, as they attract bees and other insects. FAM Flower Farm stocks a wide range of tulips, from red tulips and pink tulipvarieties to double tulips, yellow tulips, parrot tulips and even black tulips. Mix and match your bulbs to create a stunning rainbow display.

When to plant tulip bulbs

It’s best to plant tulips when the ground is first starting to get cold. The months of October and November, through to mid-December, are the best time to plant your bulbs. This will give the plants time to put out roots before the depths of winter. Remember that tulips like sun, so find a sunny spot if you can, but semi-shade is also acceptable.

Planting tulip bulbs: step by step

1. Use a spade to loosen the soil in the area where you want to plant your tulip bulbs. This will make the ground easier to work with.
2. Dig a hole using a spade or a bulb planting tool.
3. Place the bulbs in the hole with the pointed end facing upwards and the rounded end facing downwards. We supply large tulip and daffodil bulbs, so you’ll need to plant them at a depth of around 15 centimetres and allow 15 cm around each bulb.
4. Fill the hole back in and press the soil down lightly.
5. If the ground is very dry, water the bulbs immediately. This will encourage the bulbs to put out roots quickly, which will protect them against very rainy or cold conditions. You could also cover them with leaves or another organic material.

Caring for tulips

If the weather is very dry in the winter or spring, it’s important to water your tulips. The beautiful flowers will make an appearance in spring. Once the blooming period is over, the petals will fall off.
Most tulips are annual, which means that it’s best to remove the bulbs once they’ve finished blooming and replace them with new ones. But if you want to experiment with leaving them in the ground, feel free! The number of flowers will gradually reduce each year. Check out our blog post on spent tulips to find out how to take care of your bulbs once they’ve finished flowering.