It’s easy to ignore the watering of plants when it’s tipping down with rain outside, but tulips should not be neglected amid April showers
A classic flower loved by many for generations is about to come into season – and gardening expert Monty Don has issued some crucial advice.
The brightly coloured petals, often seen in white, yellow, pink or purple, originate from South Asia, but are an absolute staple in the UK – representing a turn of the season from winter to spring. They typically bloom anytime between late March to May, which means special care and attention is needed throughout April, especially if you have them in pots at home.
In Monty’s April advice, he reminds gardeners to keep on watering their tulips, even if April showers do occur. He said: “Because they have been so passive for months and because April is traditionally so showery, it is easy to overlook the fact that tulips need water once they are growing strongly. I water those growing pots weekly. This will not affect flowering this year (although it might make the blooms last longer) but will help the foliage which in turn makes a big difference to next year’s bulbs.”
There are actually more than one variety of tulip, and they vary between early flowering buds, which usually bloom between March and April, the mid-season variety between April and May and and the late flowerers finally blossoming in May.
Best practice for growing your own tulips
According to Gardeners’ World, of which Monty Don is a presenter, the best time to have planted bulbs are in mid-to-late autumn, with November being pinpointed as the prime time. December is only good if you live in a mild part of the country, Gardeners’ World says. But, if you’ve totally forgotten to get planting in any of those months, the experts urge you to keep the bulbs and try for early January.
“Tulips are technically perennial,” its advice says. “But years of breeding to get the most beautiful blooms means that many varieties only flower reliably for one year. ” This means new bulbs need to be planted each autumn to ensure a “good display.” The same applies for anyone growing them in pots.
Gardeners should ensure they are buried at least three times the depth of the bulb, and pointed end up, with around 5cm apart between each. They tend to thrive in sunny, sheltered spots and when planted in well-drained soil. Gardeners’ World adds: “It’s a good idea to plant tulips just behind perennials in a border – the perennials’ emerging foliage will conceal the leaves of the tulips as they die back.”
