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Spring-Flowering Bulbs: Tulips

One of the most popular of the spring flowering bulbs, the tulip (botanical name Tulipa resembles a little turban on a stalk. The name tulip is in fact derived from the Turkish word tulpend or turban. Most people associate the tulip with Holland, but tulips are actually native to Turkey and western and central Asia, with only a few species occurring naturally in Europe.

But it was in Holland that "tulip mania" reached its peak in the 17th century, with the development of new tulip varieties, colors, and exotic shapes. People used tulip bulbs like currency, with the price of certain exotic bulb varieties approaching the absurd -- one bulb was reportedly exchanged for two loads of wheat, four oxen, eight pigs, twelve sheep, two hogsheads of wine, four barrels of beer, two barrels of butter, 1000 pounds of cheese, a bed, a suit of clothes and a silver beaker!

Tulips have come down in price since the heady days of 17th century bulb speculation. Although still wildly popular -- the daffodil is the only other spring bulb approaching the tulip for popularity -- most tulip bulb varieties are inexpensive and widely available. See below for a table with the ten most popular tulip bulb cultivars.

Planting Tulip Bulbs

First of all, it is important to purchase good quality tulip bulbs from a reputable vendor like Spring Hill Nursery or Michigan Bulb Company. You should plant your flower bulbs immediately after purchase in the fall, as poor storage might damage or kill the bulb. If this is not possible, make sure you store your spring flower bulbs properly. Otherwise, you can plant tulips anytime from September onwards, as long as the ground is not frozen.

Tulip bulbs should be planted in groups well-drained, loosened soil. You can add fertilizer such as bonemeal or superphosphate at the time you are planting your tulips. Tulips tend to look best in masses of a similar color and shape, but of course you can mix colors and varieties according to your own taste. However you should plant tulips in groups or clusters, unless you are growing them as container plants.

When planting tulip bulbs, a good rule of thumb is to plant them with the top of the bulb 4-5 inches below the surface of the soil. However, some tulip species with much smaller bulbs should be planted more shallowly. If you are intending to leave your tulip bulbs in the ground for more than one season, you can plant them up to 10-12 inches deep.

If you don't plant to leave the bulbs in the ground for more than one season, pull the tulips out, bulb and all, after flowering but before the stalks have gone brown. However if you're going to leave the tulip bulbs in the garden, cut them back to the ground after the foliage has turned completely brown to ensure a healthy crop.