How to grow tulip bulbs. Details about the plum. Cultivation, beneficial properties and choice of variety. Choosing varieties of tulips and optimal timing for forcing

Tulips are the most popular spring flowers, which delight with their bright buds with the arrival of the first warmth after winter. Thanks to modern technologies Forcing tulips at home, this spring crop can be grown all year round.

From the article you will learn which varieties of tulips are best suited for forcing, what the process itself is and how to plant correctly in order to grow tulips for the New Year or the beginning of spring.

Tulips are better suited for forcing than other flower crops. Since it is a bulbous plant, the period from the awakening of the bulbs to the appearance of buds takes a short period of time.

By strictly following the technology, you can delight yourself and your loved ones with bright spring flowers all year round. First, it’s worth understanding what the process itself is and how to carry it out correctly (Figure 1).

This technology is described in detail in the video.

What is tulip forcing

Forcing at home is a process in which the crop is provided with conditions that provoke early awakening of roots and the formation of buds at unusual times of the year.

Note: In temperate climates, winter is a dormant period for most plants, including tulips. During this period, growth stops, but processes occur inside the bulbs that ensure future flowering.

By providing plants with special conditions, you can artificially bring them out of dormancy, activate their growth and provoke flowering. Essentially, you need to make sure that the plants go through the full annual cycle in a short time.

Figure 1. Process of growing flowers

Since low winter temperatures provoke the formation of substances necessary for future flowering, the bulbs are necessarily exposed to low temperatures. After this, the temperature is increased so that the first shoots and buds appear. The duration of each period depends on the variety.

Which varieties to choose

For the procedure to be successful, you need to choose the right varieties of flowers. Not all of them are suitable for winter growing. In addition, the deadline by which you want to receive it also plays a role. flowering plants.

For the New Year

Early flowering varieties are suitable for this, as their cooling period is only 16 weeks. These varieties include Apricot Beauty, Christmas Marvel, Diamond Star and others (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Varieties for growing for the New Year: 1 - Apricot Beauty, 2 - Christmas Marvel, 3 - Diamond Star

These same species are also suitable for growing for Christmas, as they have a sufficient flowering time to maintain buds in late December and early January.

By March 8

Crop varieties that can bloom in late February or early March belong to the Darwin hybrid species.

These plants have very diverse petal colors, and the thickness of the stems allows them to be used not only as green decoration, but also for cutting.

Figure 3. Varieties for cultivation by March 8: 1 - Oxford, 2 - Diplomat, 3 - Scarborough, 4 - Vivex

Popular varieties of this type include Oxford, Diplomat, Eric Hofsue, Scarborough, Vivex and others (Figure 3).

By April

Varieties intended for cultivation by April require more care. Firstly, they are exposed to low temperatures longer. And secondly, after this they need to be properly warmed up to activate growth and flowering.

Figure 4. Varieties for cultivation by April: 1 - Ad Rem, 2 - Gordon Cooper, 3 - London, 4 - Parade

The varieties for such cultivation are also quite diverse. Among them are Ad Rem, Gordon Cooper, London, Daydream, Parade and Oxford Elite (Figure 4).

By May

The cultivation of tulips by the beginning of May is carried out mainly using late-flowering varieties. However, subject to certain conditions, other types can be used.

Figure 5. Tulip varieties for May: 1 - Aristocrat, 2 - Negrita, 3 - Hibernia

The most popular varieties are Aristocrat, Negrita, Parade, Hibernia and others (Figure 5).

How to store bulbs for forcing

Proper storage of the bulbs plays a key role in this process. First of all, this concerns the temperature regime.

Note: Correct temperature changes can speed up or, conversely, prolong the time for buds to appear.

In general, storing bulbs for cultivation in a greenhouse is no different from the regime for further planting in open ground.

Bulbs are stored like this:(Figure 6):

• In normal times, they are dug out of the ground, dried and cleared of soil residues;
• After this, the planting material is stored for a month in a ventilated room at a temperature of 20-23 degrees. It is this indicator that leads to the formation of bud rudiments;
• After this, the temperature is gradually reduced. In the first month it is up to 20 degrees, and then - up to 16.

Since such temperature indicators fully correspond to the natural conditions of July, August and September, maintaining an optimal climate will not be difficult even without special equipment.

Figure 6. Storing bulbs for further cultivation for sale

Forcing for the New Year is considered the most difficult, since flower rudiments must form in the bulbs in a short time. In order for cooling to begin on time, it is recommended to dig them up earlier than usual (as soon as the upper scales acquire a slight yellowish tint). After this, the planting material is stored for a week, maintaining a temperature of +34 degrees. After this, they are stored in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator until planting.

Thanks to this regime, the process of leaf formation in the bulbs slows down, while the bud buds form faster.

Preparing bulbs for planting

It is also important to properly prepare the bulbs for planting. Only large, healthy specimens are suitable for this, so the flowerbed must be carefully looked after: remove weeds, carry out regular watering, loosening and fertilizing.

To speed up the process of harvesting planting material, flowers are grown under a film, and all formed buds are cut off. This allows you to obtain high-quality bulbs for cultivating flowers for the New Year.

Before planting, planting material must be inspected and damaged ones removed. To prevent diseases, you can immerse planting material for 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Planting and rooting bulbs

The soil for planting should be loose, light and well-drained. River sand, peat, or a mixture of both are excellent for this.

Note: Sometimes sawdust is used for these purposes, but it does not retain moisture well, so at the initial stage the bed will have to be watered more often than usual. In addition, clean sawdust and peat are additionally limed to make the acidity level neutral.

Clean garden soil is not suitable for this purpose (it becomes too compacted when watering), as well as greenhouse soil and manure, which serve as an excellent environment for the development of diseases.

Landing is carried out as follows(Figure 7):

• The soil mixture is poured into prepared containers, filling 2/3 full and compacted;
• Lay the bulbs on top and sprinkle them with another layer of soil. The bottom of each bulb should fit tightly into the soil, and the soil should completely cover the planting material;
• The soil is watered and, if the tips of the planting material appear above the surface of the soil, another layer of substrate is added;
• The containers are transferred to the basement or other room, the temperature in which is no more than +10 degrees.

Further care includes weekly watering and maintaining an optimal humidity level (80%). Average duration Rooting takes 16-22 weeks (depending on the variety). By December, the temperature is gradually reduced, and at the very end of forcing it is maintained at +4 degrees.

Figure 7. Planting bulbs for forcing

Feeding tulips is also necessary so that the bulbs form large, beautiful buds. Any kind of fertilizer can be used as fertilizer. mineral supplements, intended for bulbous plants.

Forcing tulips

Compliance with the regime will allow you to get flowering plants by a certain date. Typically, containers are transferred from a cold room to a warm one 3 weeks before flowering begins. At this point, the height of the sprouts should be just over 5 cm (Figure 8).

At first, the room temperature should not exceed 12 degrees. In this case, the lighting is dimmed, and if this is not possible, each sprout is covered with dark paper.

Note: The shelter is raised daily to ventilate the plants.

After 4 days, the temperature is raised to 18 degrees and the bed is well illuminated. If necessary, you can turn on fluorescent lamps for several hours. This will extend daylight hours, provoke more active flowering and prevent stems from stretching.

The temperature is lowered again when color begins to appear on the petals. This necessary condition to strengthen buds and extend flowering time. The sprouts are watered daily, but under no circumstances should they be placed in the sun. This will lead to a reduction in flowering time.

You will find more information about processing bulbs and forcing tulips in the video.

Growing tulips after forcing

Many novice flower growers have a question: what to do with the bulbs after forcing? Many people simply throw them away, but in fact, planting material is excellent for growing.

Figure 8. Conditions and regime for forcing tulips

If low-growing varieties were used for forcing, the bulbs of which have no leaves left after cutting, the planting material is simply dug up three weeks after flowering has completed. For tall varieties (for example, for representatives of the Darwin hybrids species), watering continues after cutting, leaving the containers in a well-lit place until the leaves turn yellow. This will allow you to obtain large and high-quality bulbs for further planting.

After the bulbs are removed from the soil, they are dried for two weeks and stored at a temperature of 14-17 degrees. Planting such tulips in open ground is carried out in the usual manner.

Colorful tulips will perfectly decorate your home, warm it with warm, bright colors during the winter months and in early spring. To speed up flowering, a special technique is used - forcing, which is quite accessible at home and for a novice gardener.

Forcing tulips - what does it mean?

Forcing is a method of cultivation in which flowering is achieved artificially, ahead of schedule. The presence of nutrients, as well as undemandingness to lighting, are precisely those characteristics of bulbous plants that make it possible to achieve the formation of roots, the development of the above-ground part and full flowering in indoor or greenhouse conditions.

The success of forcing largely depends on the initial quality of the bulbs and their storage conditions. Proper passage of the dormant period will ensure the full formation of all plant organs, including the flower. These processes, invisible to the eye, occur unnoticed, hidden by juicy and dry scales.

To bring the resting stage as close as possible to natural conditions, the drying and warming stage should be followed by a period of low temperatures.

Blooming tulips can be obtained as early as winter holidays – for New Year and Christmas, but the best forcing occurs starting in February. Tulips bloom within 21–25 days from the moment they are placed on a windowsill in a warm room. To achieve flowering March 8, rooted bulbs are brought indoors on February 10–11. The timing may vary depending on the variety.

Forcing technology

The success of forcing depends on a combination of all important factors - from the moment of planting and cultivation in the ground, to digging, storage, rooting and the stage of release of the colored bud.

Growing and harvesting bulbs

Tulips from which they intend to obtain bulbs for forcing are cared for more carefully than plants that are used in landscaping. Thorough weeding, loosening the soil, watering during dry periods are required, it is advisable to use mulch.

2–3 days after the bud opens, mandatory decapitation is carried out by cutting off the flower. This will prevent the flow of nutrients into the formation of the seed pod and will produce stronger planting material. Caring for the plant continues for two to three weeks, since during this period the formation of the flower primordium continues.

When the leaves begin to turn yellow, the bulbs are dug up and dried on sieves in the shade or in a room with good ventilation. After drying, an inspection is carried out, discarding damaged specimens and those affected by fungal diseases, selecting large ones, first or extra class, no lighter than 25–30 g.

Removing hard cover scales immediately after digging can lead to drying out and damage during storage. At the same time, before planting, it is better to remove the scales; this will make it possible to recognize foci of Fusarium damage. In addition, the scales will interfere with normal rooting - there are often cases when the roots tuck under it and grow upward.

Storage rules

After drying, the bulbs are placed in plastic boxes or cardboard boxes with holes and brought into a ventilated room, stored at a temperature of 21–23°C for 30–35 days. This exposure at above-zero temperatures is important for flower formation. Over the next month, the temperature is lowered to 19–20°C, and after another month (which usually falls in September) the readings are lowered to 16–17°C. Such temperatures are typical for natural weather and therefore there are usually no difficulties in achieving them.

The process of laying a flower primordium is lengthy and must be completely completed before cooling. To obtain flowering plants for the New Year or Christmas holidays, the ripening stage is accelerated. This is partly due to the decapitation carried out. In addition, experienced flower growers practice early digging when the outer scales are slightly yellowed and keeping them for 7–8 days at a temperature of 32–34°C, which will speed up the process of flower formation.

Subsequent cooling is a mandatory stage, which is necessary for the natural immersion of the bulb during the hibernation period. At home, a small amount of planting material can be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

At the end of October, tulips are planted in pots, after which they are brought into the basement or other cold room and placed for rooting at 2–7°C. Starting from mid-December, the temperature is kept within 4–5°C, otherwise the emerging sprouts may become too elongated. Rooting and germination lasts from 16 to 22 weeks, depending on the variety.

Landing Features

For forcing, two main methods are used: in a substrate or in water (hydroponics).

Growing in substrate

The substrate can be a porous light material: pure sand, vermiculite or a mixture of these components with peat, soil, humus. If you plan to continue using the bulbs, it is better to stop on nutritional formula the following composition:

• turf soil - 2 parts;
• neutral reaction peat – 1 part;
• humus – 1 part;
• sand – 1 part;
• wood ash - 1 cup per bucket of mixture.

You can add granular long-acting fertilizer for flowering plants, for example, Agricola brand, to the substrate.

Tulips are successfully grown on such soil:

• turf soil - 2 parts;
• humus soil - 2 parts;
• sand - 1 part.

It is undesirable to use sawdust as a substrate; they do not hold moisture well and are often acidic. Another disadvantage is their ability to capture nitrogen compounds, so the plants will have to be watered with liquid fertilizers.

For planting, you can use ready-made soil mixtures for flowering plants or specialized substrates for forcing bulbous species.

For planting, take clay pots with a diameter of 12–15 cm, where you can plant three bulbs, or wooden boxes. The soil is thoroughly mixed and immersed in the container, filling it to two-thirds of the volume.

The surface is slightly compacted and the bulbs are planted, pressing them into the ground, orienting the flat side to the wall of the pot (then the first leaf will be turned outward, which looks more impressive). The substrate is added, not reaching 1 cm to the edge, and compacted again, gently pressing. When planting, it is important to ensure that the bulbs are uniform and do not touch each other, and that the tops are not covered with soil.

After planting, moderate watering is carried out with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. To care for the bulbs during the rooting process, they are watered every week.

Rooted tulips are brought into warm room 21–25 days before the expected flowering and placed on bright windows at a temperature of 12–14°C, after 3–5 days the indicators increase to 18–19°C. Flowering plants with fully colored buds are best kept at a temperature of 14–15°C, which will prolong flowering. Too much heat will lead to stretching. Long stems tied to supports.

Forcing in water

When forced under hydroponic conditions, you can get beautiful flowering plants, but the bulbs are then unsuitable for growing. This method is used when there are no conditions for installing large pots or boxes with substrate.

For such distillation, glasses or special narrow glasses filled with clean water are used, and plywood mugs are placed on top along the diameter of the container. A small hole is made in the mug for the bottom, the onion is placed on the glass, making sure that the water level is slightly below the bottom (by 1–2 millimeters).

You can fill a glass vessel with expanded clay, lightly press one or more bulbs into the loose surface, and pour water 1–2 mm below the bottom.

Installation is carried out in October-November, placing the tulips in a dark, cold place - a dark pantry or basement at a temperature of 4-6°C. It is important to ensure that the plantings are not spoiled by mice. If the room is bright, the vessels are covered with dark caps.

During growth, water is regularly added, carefully lifting the circle or letting a stream flow along the wall of the vessel with expanded clay. In this case, be sure to leave an air gap for breathing between the water level and the bottom of the bulb. To avoid water spoilage, you can put a tablet at the bottom of the vessel activated carbon or a little woody.

After about 55–60 days, a pale sprout will appear; when it reaches a length of 10–12 cm, the tulip is brought into the room and placed in a bright place with a temperature of 12–14°C, changing the temperature parameters, as for growing on a substrate. If you start hydroponic forcing at the end of October, you can get blooming tulips in early March.

Varieties of tulips for forcing

Depending on the timing of flowering of tulips, forcing is of three types:

• early– for the New Year and Christmas, as well as throughout January;
• average– in February and early March;
• late– in March and April.

Forcing by May is not common and is relevant for the northern regions.

Not everyone is suitable for winter-spring flowering; Darwinian hybrids and the Simple Early class work better than others. Fringed, double and lily-flowered varieties are grown less often indoors, although they are stunningly spectacular. Below are classic and new varieties for different periods of forcing.

Early dates:

• Christmas Marvel – a real “Christmas miracle”, lilac-pink, satin;
• Brilliant Star – deep red;
• Purple Prince – thick purple-lilac;
• Apricot Beauty – apricot, delicate, pastel;
• Lustige Witwe – dark pink with white border;
• Sugar Prince is a graceful mauve.

Average terms:

• London – scarlet red;
• Oxford – bright red with a yellow center;
• Eric Hofsjo – raspberry red with a cream border;
• Prince Gold – golden yellow;
• Pretty Woman - lily-colored, raspberry-red;
• Davenport – fringed, red with a golden border, colorful;
• Salmon Impression – salmon pink;
• Fantasy Lady - terry, raspberry pink with a wide white border.

Late dates:

• America (America) – very large, crimson-red with a scarlet border;
• Burgundy Lace – fringed, raspberry pink, classic;
• Triple A – a Dutch novelty, red-orange with a thin golden rim, perfect glass;
• Esprit - fringed, terry, pinkish-orange with a green tone;
• Hibernia – creamy white, round;
• Sensual Touch – fringed, terry, thick orange tone;
• Versace – fringed, shiny, dark red;
• Violet Prana – deep double lilac, wide open, lace.

Other varieties are also suitable for late forcing, including the Triumph, Parrot and Green-flowered classes.

Growing bulbs after forcing

Strong bulbs after forcing in the substrate can be successfully grown, which allows you to preserve valuable planting material of a beautiful variety. If the bulbs are not of particular value, they are thrown away. In any case, they are unsuitable for re-forcing.

Tulip bulbs grown in hydroponics, which have used all their internal reserves for flowering and are too weak, also fail to grow. Specimens that survived the January forcing grow poorly.

Growing makes it possible to use planting material in the future for landscaping and propagation. Its essence is to create conditions for the tulip growing in the room that are as close to natural as possible. This will allow the plant to accumulate nutrients and complete the development cycle. Therefore, it is important to initially prepare a complete substrate with humus and turf soil; it is advisable to apply granular fertilizer and provide illumination.

If low-growing botanical varieties were chosen for forcing, after flowering, remove the short peduncle and leaves, wait three weeks, remove the bulb and dry it.

At the end of flowering of tall varieties, the wilted flower is carefully removed, leaving a peduncle. The plant continues to be cared for and watered until the leaves begin to turn yellow, then the tulip is carefully removed from the pot, the soil is shaken off and dried, after which the leaves are removed.

It is better to dry the bulbs for 10–14 days at 24–25°C, then the temperature is lowered to 18–20°C, maintaining the parameters for a month, and then stored in a cool, ventilated area at 15–17°C. In autumn, the bulbs are planted in the flowerbed in the usual way.

Video: technology for forcing tulips

Tulips are common, affordable bulbous plants that will wonderfully decorate rooms during the cold season. And a flowerpot with delicate flowers grown with your own hands is a wonderful gift that will say more about the feelings of the giver than the most sincere words.

The period of forcing tulips is difficult for plants and requires a lot of effort from them, since we force the crop to begin the growing season at the wrong time. To understand what to do with tulip bulbs after forcing, when they are depleted and the natural process of formation of children and a replacement tuber is disrupted, you need to know certain rules.

Timing for digging bulbs

After the spring bulbous flowers have pleased you with their bloom, you can prepare to dig up the tubers. It is recommended to remove varietal tulips from the soil annually; ordinary ones can be dug up once every 2-3 years.

By June, all varieties of tulips have already faded, their root system begins to gradually die off. After cutting the flower, 3-4 leaves are left on the bush for some time.

The ongoing process of photosynthesis allows the bulb to prepare itself and its children for the upcoming dormant period, to finally form and stock up on nutrients.

There is no need to delay digging: harvesting too late may not allow you to see all the bulbs in the soil, and some of them may remain there. The collection of planting material begins after the remaining leaves have turned brown. This period falls on June-July.

When harvesting bulbs, it is important to do this with extreme care and caution. Any damage to the tuber threatens its subsequent disease or death. Damaged bulbs are poorly stored and often rot, infecting nearby planting material.

Drying

In order for tulip bulbs to be well stored and suitable for subsequent forcing, they should be properly prepared.

1. After removing planting material from the ground, it should be thoroughly cleaned of soil residues.
2. You can immediately treat the tubers with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, placing the bulbs in it for 15-30 minutes.
3. After this, the bulbs are placed in light, ventilated boxes and placed to dry under a canopy or other place where direct contact does not occur. Sun rays. Once again, it is better not to disturb the tubers; this can lead to mechanical damage, which can provoke the occurrence of diseases and the death of the future plant.
4. If they are dried in the open air, it is better to put the containers with planting material in a dry room at night. This will prevent night moisture from condensing on the tubers.

Storage

The room in which planting material will be stored must have room temperature and appropriate air humidity, which will make it possible to store it for the longest possible time.

1. Tulip varieties that reproduce well are best stored at a temperature that does not exceed 20 °C. At the beginning of autumn, the temperature should be lowered to 15-17°C.
2. Varietal crops that are difficult to propagate should be stored at a temperature of 23°C, in September it should be increased to 25-27°C, and in October it should be lowered to 17°C.
3. The largest bulbs, from which there is subsequently hope to obtain the maximum number of children and tubers replacing them, are initially stored at a temperature of up to 30°C, gradually lowering it to 20°C. This makes it possible to stop the formation of a flower bud.
4. The air humidity in the room where tulip bulbs are stored should be on average 70-80%. Higher humidity can provoke the occurrence of various fungal diseases.

The bulbs should be inspected periodically for possible detection of diseased tubers. Such copies should be immediately removed from the general container and destroyed. So that periodic inspections can be carried out without difficulty, it is recommended to lay out the planting material in one layer.

Forcing period

Forcing of plants begins in January–February, depending on the variety of the crop. This is done in specially equipped greenhouses or at home on a windowsill in a suitable container.

It is important to remember that the soil for this must be fertile, well fertilized, and the place where the future flowers are located must be well lit. Then the sprouts will be even, not curved, and the flowers themselves will be large and bright.

Beginning flower growers should remember that the quality of tulip flowering largely depends on the proper storage of planting material and its treatment against possible diseases.

Competent recommendations and advice make it possible to keep the bulbs of early lily flowers in perfect condition until they are forced out. This will allow you to admire their abundant, unforgettable flowering for as long as possible.

Digging up tulips and allowing the underground shoots to rest is a guarantee of preserving the best varietal characteristics. This means that these are mandatory elements of agricultural technology. How to store tulip bulbs and when to dig them up to ensure flowering of your favorite varieties - I will talk about this in the article. I will also share the subtleties of the technology for forcing them at any time of the year.

What you need to know about bulbs

The growing season for tulips is short – up to 4 months. After all, the plant’s biological calendar coincides with the development of all early bulbous flowers. Then the potential is laid, the bulb (underground shoot) matures. Therefore it is important proper care after flowering.

Growing season

A tulip bulb is a modified underground shoot with a bottom (thickened stem) and overgrown scales (leaf bases). It is both an organ of vegetative reproduction and a storehouse of water and nutrients.

Buds are located in the axils of the scales; during the dormant period, daughter bulbs (babies) and an above-ground shoot (a bud replacing the old bulb) will develop from them. In some varieties, 3 daughter bulbs develop at once along with the replacement one. After each flowering there is a change of generations, i.e. shoots of a new generation are formed and the bulb dies.

You have become familiar with the growing season of the tulip, now let’s talk about how to store tulips at home to ensure their abundant flowering.

Why is it necessary to dig up bulbs?

Digging up the bulbs after ripening is a biological need.

There are 5 reasons to dig:

1. Every summer the division of underground shoots is repeated. This geometric progression no longer leaves food and space for the emerging tulips. They are crushed and degenerate. This means you need to dig up the bulb after flowering.

1. Lack of heat, excess moisture in the soil interferes with the formation of full-fledged flower stalks.
2. In summer, the bulbs are attacked by a fungus, the larvae of the May beetle..

1. Unplanted bulbs gradually deepen. And in the spring it is already difficult for the seedling to break through. And at such a depth, the heat is not enough for the formation of a flower bud. The result is small flowers with a faded tint.
2. Digging and preserving bulbs will speed up the natural timing of flowering and propagation of valuable varieties.

Features of summer storage

Professionals say that the bulb ripens throughout the month after the tulips have bloomed. Then there is an intense outflow of nutrients from the leaves and stem. ⅔ yellow leaves and a drooping stem - this is the period when tulips are dug up. Usually at the end of June.

Preparation of material

Flower growers collect dug out bulbous nests with soil residues in baskets or perforated boxes. There they are dried for a week in a dry, warm, ventilated place. This storage of bulbs is possible under a canopy, on a veranda or in a barn. But the sun will irreparably burn the delicate scales.

Bulb family after excavation

After drying, carefully examine the bulbs:

1. Clean them of old roots.
2. Then discard damaged and rotten specimens.
3. Calibrate them to size at the same time.
4. Minor mold deposits must be washed off.
5. Then treat the planting specimens with a 1% manganese solution to avoid possible infection. And be sure to dry it.

1. Professional flower growers treat tulip bulbs with the drug “Maxim”.

Summer storage conditions

I’ll tell you what to do with a tulip bulb so that it doesn’t germinate prematurely, dry out or rot.

In July and August, future flowers and leaves are laid in them. AND Better conditions such:

• Temperature regime: 3 weeks 25–30⁰ C, then – up to 20⁰ C.
• Humidity 60–70%. After all, its excess will lead to germination and putrefactive infections. The downside is that the “living” scales dry out. We humidify the air from a spray bottle or simply place a bowl of water next to it.
• Air access is necessary. Therefore, we do not store sorted material in polyethylene.

So, when proper storage in September the bulb will be elastic, dry, will not germinate, and will have time to ripen by autumn planting. Planted in spring, they will bloom later.

Optimal conditions for bulbs in winter

Dry storage

Dry storage methods:

• First, each onion needs to be wrapped in paper and placed in a paper or fabric bag, and then placed in the vegetable section of the refrigerator.
• A basement with a positive temperature is also suitable. Storing in hanging vegetable nets before planting will protect our planting material from rodents.

• It would be more natural for the tulips to be planted in a dry substrate - sawdust, sand, vermiculite.

Wet storage with germination

Experts also use wet storage. Then, back in the basement, the tulips will form roots and even a sprout. At the same time, a tulip planted in the spring will bloom simultaneously with the autumn plantings.

The plastic box is covered with slightly moistened high-moor peat or sawdust. In this case, there should be holes at the bottom of the box. The onions are laid out here bottom down and sprinkled with the same wet substrate.

Early bulb forcing technology

Early forcing and further cultivation in the garden are guaranteed to preserve your favorite tulip variety.

Flowering time shift

The formation of tulips will take a maximum of 2 months. And the cooling period should be reduced to 3 months. This is both the time for preserving the bulbs and their rooting - the beginning of forcing.

• Diplomat,
• London,
• Apeldoorn,
• Parade.

When forced, they will definitely surprise you with the largest bright petals and tall straight stems.

With accelerated cultivation early varieties They develop quickly, their flowers will delight you in December. Medium ones will bloom in February, and late ones - in March. The optimal diameter of the bulbs is more than 4 cm with a weight of 25 g. Material with less mass will produce smaller and less beautiful flowers.

The instructions for preliminary work are simple:

• We dig up shoots with dried stems.
• The subsequent five-day temperature of +30 will accelerate the development of the flower bud.
• At +20 we store the material for 2 months.
• Next, we hold +15 for 2 weeks.
• Then - 3 months in the refrigerator until planting.

Planting in a pot

We take 20% more bulbous specimens - this is our insurance fund. After all, there are no such thing as too many tulips. Professional flower growers use a 40x70x8 box with soil, sand, and peat to force 80 tulips.

Many gardeners prefer clean sand. After all, there is enough nutrition in the bulb itself. And sand is neutral, so it won’t let it rot.

To avoid diseases, the substrate is spilled with a 2% solution of foundationazole or topsin. Although potassium permanganate is more available at home. Therefore, we will make a pinkish solution with our own hands.

For faster rooting, soak the bulbs in heteroauxin for a day - a quarter of a tablet per liter of water. A swollen roller on the bulbous bottom indicates the imminent appearance of roots.

Cover the bottom of the pot 4 cm with substrate. Then we place 3-5 onions close together and sprinkle with it. But let the onion cones be above the ground.

In the darkness of a damp basement (humidity over 90%), roots will appear quickly. We water the ground with a 1% solution of calcium nitrate to strengthen the flower stalks.

We bring a 10-centimeter tulip with a bulb into an equally cool (for adaptation) but bright room. Flowers will appear in a month. By the way, at a temperature of 20 degrees, tulips bloom faster.

With reduced cooling, the stems will be short, and some buds will not open at all. And if this period increases, the stem will grow tall, but will droop towards the ground along with the flower.

Now about how to cut tulips. We cut off the already colored buds before morning watering right at the base and with the leaves. But it’s worth leaving a couple of sheets to get a replacement bulb.

At the very base, cut tulip bulbs are not watered for 3 weeks and then removed. During this time, the replacement shoots will be fully formed and will not rot.

When to replant tulips after flowering? If the forcing has already faded, let it ripen (we wait for the above-ground part to die off). And only then, with a lump of earth, plant the plant in the ground.

Forcing in a transparent vase

Shoots will sprout without soil:

• Cool the tulip bulbs in the refrigerator for 3 months.
• We pour sea pebbles into a transparent vase and fix the shoot with them (the top is free).

• Fill with water - it should not reach the onion, otherwise it will rot.

• We wait 1.5 months, placing the vase in a dark, cool room.
• We expose them to bright light, and after a month we are happy with the flowers.

Conclusion

Now you know the answers to the questions of when to dig up tulip bulbs after flowering and how to preserve them. According to the already known plan that I drew up above, you can grow flowers at any time. The video in this article will reveal all the nuances of working with escapes, and if you have any questions, ask in the comments!

There is probably no other flower that is as strongly associated with the arrival of spring as tulips. After all, it is these bulbous plants that are customarily given to all llamas on March 8th. Tulips have even become a symbol of this holiday. Therefore, on the eve of International Women's Day, many gardeners are forcing tulips by March 8 so that they bloom faster than usual. But how to preserve tulip bulbs after forcing them by March 8 so that the plant continues to grow?

There are varieties of tulips that are low growing. In such cases, during forcing, the plants cut off the flowers and leave no leaves on the bulb. In such cases, the bulbs are dug up for storage.

The plant is transferred to a warm place when the first shoots stretch 5-8 centimeters. Bulbs that have taken root should be kept in containers in a room with a temperature of 12-15 degrees. During the first days, the lighting in the place where the plant is located should be weak. If the sprouts have not yet grown enough, but have already been transferred to such a room, they must be additionally covered with caps in the form of a cone made of paper that does not allow light to pass through. To prevent the tulips from dying, the paper caps must be removed periodically to allow the flowers to ventilate and breathe.

After 4 days, the room temperature should be 18-18 degrees, and there should be more light. Therefore, it is recommended to highlight the tulips additionally. As soon as the buds begin to open, you need to reduce the temperature in the room to 14 degrees.