Greetings, human cultivator. We, the tulips, have journeyed from the mountainous regions of Central Asia to grace your gardens. To help us thrive in the diverse climates of the United States, you must understand our needs from our perspective. This is our guide to a successful partnership.
First, know that we are solar-powered. We require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily to photosynthesize and store energy in our bulbs for the next season's show. Without this, our stems become weak, and our flowers may not open. Second, our bulbs are prone to rot. We demand excellent drainage. Soggy soil is a death sentence for us. Plant us in a raised bed or amend heavy clay soil with generous amounts of compost or sand. Finally, we are not tropical beings. We require a period of cold dormancy—a "winter's nap"— to trigger biochemical processes that lead to flowering. This is measured in chilling hours and is non-negotiable.
The United States presents a challenge for us due to its varying winter temperatures. In USDA Zones 3-7, you are in our comfort zone. The ground freezes reliably, providing us with the consistent chill we need. Here, you can plant us in the autumn, and we will sleep soundly until spring. However, in the warmer Zones 8-10 (think the southern US and coastal California), the ground does not get cold enough. You will need to trick us. This involves purchasing pre-chilled bulbs or storing us in a paper bag in your refrigerator's crisper drawer for 10-16 weeks before planting, carefully avoiding any apples which emit ethylene gas that can harm us.
When it is time to go into the earth, please do it correctly. The rule of thumb is to plant us at a depth three times our height. For most tulip bulbs, this means a hole 6 to 8 inches deep. This depth protects us from temperature fluctuations and hungry squirrels. Place us pointy-end up; this is our shoot, and it knows which way to grow towards the sun. Space us about 4 to 6 inches apart to give our roots room to spread and to prevent fungal diseases that can occur in crowded conditions. Water us well after planting to settle the soil and encourage root growth, but then, please, let the soil dry out.
In spring, we emerge. Enjoy our vibrant display! Once we finish blooming, our work is not done. We must replenish our bulb for next year. This is a critical phase. Do not cut our foliage until it has turned completely yellow and withered. While it may look unsightly to you, those green leaves are capturing sunlight and converting it into energy that is being stored below ground. You can, however, remove the spent flower head (a process called deadheading) to prevent us from wasting energy on seed production. After our foliage has died back, we are dormant and require no further care until the next cycle.
Many of you hope we will return year after year with the same vigor. While we are technically perennials, the hybrid varieties most commonly sold are bred for a single, spectacular show. The conditions in many US gardens—particularly warmer winters and summer rains—mimic our native habitat poorly. To encourage us to return, plant species tulips or "perennial" varieties, ensure perfect drainage, and provide a balanced, slow-release bulb fertilizer as our foliage emerges in the spring. Even then, expect our flowers to be smaller in subsequent years. Sometimes, it is easiest to treat us as annuals and plant fresh bulbs each fall for a guaranteed performance.
