Tulips are among the most loved flowers for their elegance and variety of colors. But a few mistakes are enough to completely compromise spring flowering.
Those who delight in growing flowers know it well: the tulips are splendid, but also a little capricious. Just a small oversight to transform a lively flowerbed into a corner that does not take off. And yes, it also happens to the most experts to let details that seem insignificant. The problem? Many focus on the moment when they bloom, forgetting everything that comes first. And instead, it is precisely during the colder months that the decisive game is played. There, under the ground, everything happens. Or almost.
The good news? There is no need to be expert gardeners to avoid the classic slips. With some targeted measures and a pinch of observation, you can really change everything. Nature, in its own way, also gives clear signals. Just know how to grasp them.
Tulips and incorrect choice of the soil or pot
One of the most insidious errors is to underestimate the land. Tulips have rather demanding roots and do not like stagnant water. If the soil is too compact or tends to hold back the humidity, the risk of rot is around the corner. Sometimes you think: “A free corner is enough and you’re done”. But unfortunately it doesn’t work like this. Tulips want space, light, but above all a light and well -drained soil.
The trick? Use a sandy mixture full of organic substance. And if they grow in pot, adding a layer of expanded clay on the bottom can make a difference. Absolutely avoid the reuse of the old soil, which can now be poor and full of bacteria. It almost makes you smile to think that everything starts from there, from the type of earth. But it is just like that: beauty begins underground.
Plant the bulbs in the wrong period
And then there is the question of tempo. The bulbs do not plant themselves at random. We need patience and a pinch of programming. The ideal time? Autumn. When temperatures begin to drop, but the ground is not yet as hard as marble.
Instead, many are taken by the enthusiasm of spring, perhaps after a walk in the nursery, and plans the bulbs convinced that they are still in time. But it is now late: without the cold of winter, the natural cycle does not start.
In order not to make mistakes, better to keep these tips in mind:
- Buy the bulbs between September and November.
- Interly at a depth equal to double their height.
- Avoid angles too exposed to frost.
- Mark the exact point where they plant: it may seem trivial, but save from many mistakes.
Respecting the rhythm of the seasons, after all, is one of the first lessons that teaches gardening.
Forget the post-firing care of the tulips
When tulips touched, the temptation is to do clean. Flowers down, all away. But cutting too quickly can compromise the flowering of the following year. The leaves, although yellowed and not very decorative, are fundamental: they continue to feed the bulb. Only when they dry out can you intervene with scissors.
And the water? After flowering it must be reduced gradually, until it is completely suspended. During the summer the bulbs must rest, do not drown. A useful idea could be disintegrating them every two or three years, check them, let them dry and then keep them in a dark and ventilated place until next autumn. So you avoid mold, parasites and unpleasant surprises.
After all, take care of the tulips It is a bit like following a dance made of expectations and small gestures. Those who have had the good fortune to see them blossom in all their splendor knows that it is worth it.
And if something is wrong, it is always worth wondering: maybe the ground was too heavy? Or maybe he anticipated a cut? Sometimes it takes very little to change everything.
Nature has its times. And communicates them in silence. It is up to us to learn to listen to them.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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