When is the best time to plant tulips in the fall in the Moscow region?

After winter, when all nature is asleep, the first bells of spring appear - tulips. The bright colors of flowers make all living things awaken. Lush flowering in the spring is achieved if the bulbs are planted in the ground in the fall. Many inexperienced gardeners are concerned about the question: when to plant tulips in the fall in my native Moscow region to have such masterpieces near my house in the spring.

Benefits of autumn planting

Spring plantings of tulips may not bloom throughout the season. Therefore, planting in autumn benefits:

• bloom in the first year;
• the bulbs have time to adapt to open ground;
• harbingers of spring;
• the root system develops well;
• receive a supply of moisture and nutrients for flowering.

With the slightest warming, the terrestrial part appears.

When to plant tulips in the fall in the Moscow region?

Tulips need 4 weeks to accumulate strength and develop the root system. It is sometimes difficult to predict the weather for a month. Therefore, the guideline for planting dates in the Moscow region is:

• soil temperature regime. If at a depth of 10 centimeters the earth has cooled to 6-9 degrees, then this is a signal for autumn planting. Lower temperatures delay the process;
• planting tulips in the interval: late September to October 20;
• "Indian summer". Work at this time will definitely be beneficial.

If you follow the recommendations, the bulbs will have time to adapt and take root before winter.

Storing tulips before planting

After flowering, tulip bulbs are dug up and prepared for storage. To do this, perform the following functions:

• cleared of earth;
• immerse in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour;
• dry in the shade;
• after a week, the planting material is inspected, calibrated, the babies and sprouts are separated and dried for some more time.

In summer, planting material is stored at a temperature of 20 degrees. Humidity is maintained at 70%. In winter, the storage temperature is reduced to 17 degrees - this is in the case of spring planting.

Tulips are placed in boxes and sprinkled with sawdust or wrapped in paper.

The storage location can be a ventilated basement, an insulated balcony, a refrigerator (compartment for vegetables), or a heat chamber.

How to do autumn planting?

The flowerbed should be marked so that there are boundaries between varieties. Small bulbs are planted along the edges of tall crops. Light should reach all tulips. A sand cushion 2 centimeters thick is poured onto the bottom of the platform. A loose layer will help the root system strengthen without effort. Planting depth is from 15 to 20 centimeters. The grooves between varieties are left up to 0.5 meters.

Each planting material is placed carefully. Do not allow air spaces under the bulbs. It is not advisable to press with force with your hand. Such actions will lead to disruption of the bottom of the tubers.

The distance between rows is 25 centimeters. The top layer is well leveled. Again, do not allow depressions for stagnant water. Plantings are sprinkled with soil mixed with mineral fertilizers and organic matter in the form of humus.

Choosing the location of the flower bed

Tulips prefer sunny, windless places. Flowers do not tolerate stagnant water. When choosing a site, you should pay attention to the depth of groundwater. It is better to place the flower bed on a hill with good drainage.

Soil preparation

Tulips are planted on fertile soil with a neutral reaction. On such soil, the flowers will be large, with a powerful root system.

Any deviations in soil composition from the norm can be easily corrected:

1. Acidic soil is diluted with dolomite flour and lime.
2. Add sand and humus to heavy soil.
3. Light soil is enriched with turf soil, compost, and humus.

The soil is prepared 2 weeks before planting. The sites are cleared of previous crops. Fertilizers are added: potassium nitrate, wood ash. They dig with a shovel on a bayonet. Then they are carefully leveled. There should be no depressions or unevenness on the site.

Good predecessors of tulips are herbaceous plants.

Preparing the bulbs

Planting material is calibrated before planting. For planting, it is better to use large fraction bulbs. They take root well and produce huge buds in the spring. Each bulb is visually inspected. Damaged, rotten specimens are removed.

Carefully remove the husks without disturbing the structure of the onion. Dipped into a growth stimulator before planting.

Planting depth

Depth is of great importance during autumn planting. How the tulips survive the winter depends on it. All experienced gardeners use the “golden rule”. It states that all bulbous crops are planted 3 tuber diameters deep. That is, if the diameter is 5 centimeters, then the depth should be 15, 3 – 9 and so on. There are some deviations from the rules. If the soil is heavy, the depth is reduced by 3 centimeters, on light soil it is increased by 3.

Bulb planting scheme

Tulip bulbs of a large fraction are planted before winter at a distance of 10 centimeters from each other. For average specimens, 7 is enough. Between the rows, the step is 0.25 meters. This scheme will require 50 bulbs.

Tulips are also planted in a checkerboard pattern - 10x10 centimeters. In this scheme, 100 pieces of planting material are used.

Rules for caring for flowers

They care for tulips from the moment the first shoots appear:

1. They inspect the flower bed and identify the reason for the non-sprouted bulbs. If some specimens are rotten, remove them from the site.
2. Watering is carried out moderately as the soil dries.
3. As soon as the soil dries out after rain or irrigation, loosening is carried out so that the roots have access to oxygen.
4. The first fertilizing is applied when seedlings appear. During this period, the plant accumulates green mass, and therefore needs nitrogen and other microelements.
5. The second feeding is carried out when 3 leaves appear with complex fertilizers.
6. The third feeding is needed during the budding period. Potassium and phosphorus are added to the plant.
7. The fourth feeding is required during the active flowering phase - with mineral fertilizers.

All fertilizing is carried out after rain and watering. This will eliminate the possibility of burning the root system. Blooming tulips need to be watered intensively. For every square meter, pour at least 2 buckets of water. After mass flowering, faded buds will appear. During this period, watering does not stop.

For drooping flowers, irrigation is applied for another 2 weeks. The bulbs must accumulate nutritional components before they are dug up.

Algorithm of actions after flowering:

1. Fallen, wilted petals are removed from the flowerbed to prevent rot from developing in the leaf axils.
2. A week after flowering, cut off the heads of the buds you like for propagation.
3. The stems are cut off after the leaves have completely yellowed (when the color of the husk is burgundy) and the roots have formed.

The weather is chosen to be sunny. The roots dry out well.

Preparing for winter

Equipped grooves provide an excellent approach to tulips to care for them. If there is no rain in autumn, the tulips are watered. As soon as the first frost is expected, the plantings should be mulched. Various materials are used as mulch: straw, fine bark, sawdust, peat. In winter, a layer of snow is poured onto the flowerbed.

Tulips sometimes do not survive until spring - they are eaten by rodents. This must be taken care of in advance. It is worth planting “neighbors” that mice are afraid of - daffodils, fritillaria.

Perhaps this will interfere with the intended composition, then kerosene is used as protection.All bulbs are placed in a bag and sprayed with a foul-smelling agent. After 30 minutes, a film is formed that is harmless to plants, but repels rodents.

Other protection measures:

1. Vishnevsky ointment". Each tuber is processed.
2. Ground red pepper. Mix with soil and place around the tubers.
3. Mechanical means of protection include containers with small cells.
4. Make your own metal mesh. The cells should be 6-7 millimeters.
5. Planted in a bucket. Only store in severe frosts in unheated rooms.

Useful tips

To prevent tulips from becoming smaller over time, follow some requirements:

1. Change the planting location every year.
2. Do not violate agricultural cultivation techniques.
3. Store at recommended temperature.
4. Feed tulips throughout vegetative growth.