So, if you are like me, you have oft heard the advice “plant your bulbs in the fall.” I, however, now say otherwise: “If you live in zone 8 of Georgia…PLANT YOUR TULIPS IN THE WINTER!” Here’s the story.
Tulips are an old romance of mine. I guess my attraction, in part, comes from stories of tulips being so wildly valuable at one point in history; and, also, maybe because they are so easy to draw. Even 7 year old Mary could draw those flowers. Let it also be said that tulips are lovely and cheerful of appearance.
Several years ago I bought my first bulbs from Walmart, dutifully planted them in the Fall and then eagerly awaited their growth in Spring.
A few blades emerged from the ground. I rejoiced and waited for them to grow… And waited. The blades hardly grew, although a flower did eventually bloom. You can see the picture above.
Tulips Need Cold
I loved my first little, little tulip even though I had to kneel in order to see it. Despite it’s diminutive size, the flower was beautiful… But it left something wanting. My tulips continued to come up, sometimes short, sometimes slightly distorted. I concluded that tulips just Don’t grow here.
I had given up on tulips and probably still would be in that sad resignation, if not for a promotional giveaway. Those things always get me. Free tulips with Any purchase! Add only $40 more and get Free Shipping! Like a bulb falling into its autumnal hole, I fell for it.
I received my package and again went to dutifully bury my tulip bulbs in October. That is, until I had read the instructions on the bag. They said that in some areas, you should chill your bulbs before planting them!
It turns out that I live in one of those areas which don’t get enough winter cold for tulips to thrive. The solution: to put the bag of new tulip bulbs into the refrigerator, wrapped loosely in non-airtight container. Mine are pictured above in a paper bag.
The bag should be kept away from fruit which may release a ripening gas–think of the banana trick to soften your avocados. I found instructions on how to do this at Longfield Gardens website. According to their site, my tulips needed 8-10 weeks of fridge time before being planted in the late winter. (Where I live “late winter” is somewhere between January and February)
Success! I had a lovely wave of tulips waiting to greet me when I returned from the hospital with a newborn baby. I didn’t get a great picture of them but you can get a glimpse of them above.
The only downside to this discovery is the news that tulips, thus chilled, should be treated as annuals. That means I should dig up last year’s bulbs and throw them away. I didn’t have heart to do so. I should soon see how the bulbs perform as biennals.
