Planting tulips and daffodils in autumn

On the eve of autumn, it's time to think about planting bulbs flowers, primarily this applies to daffodils and tulips. It is these spring flowers that are the first to open their buds, covering the flower beds with a colorful blanket of inflorescences for a couple of weeks. Both tulips and daffodils are quite unpretentious, they are easy to grow, there is no need to care for such flowers, the gardener will only have to dig up the bulbs immediately after flowering and plant them again at the beginning of autumn. Although these flowers have much in common, tulips and daffodils also have characteristic differences.

You can learn about when to plant tulips and daffodils in the fall, how to do it correctly so that their flowering is abundant and bright, from this article.

Rules for planting tulips

Tulips came to the world from Persia, which probably explains the great love of these flowers for the sun. Today, many species and varieties of garden tulips have been bred, among them there are dwarf varieties, and almost meter-long flowers for bouquets, plain and variegated, glossy and double buds.

Tulips are very persistent and viable plants. These flowers can grow on almost any soil; their roots grow even through rocky soil and can develop in sand.Tulips also tolerate frost well; bulbs of perennial varieties can overwinter in unprotected soil, divide and replant without losing their qualities.

The development cycle of tulips consists of two phases: in the fall, the bulbs planted in the ground take root, after which their development stops, and with the onset of spring warmth, green stems begin to grow and buds appear. After blooming, the tulips “fall asleep” again; their bulbs need to be dug up during this period in order to be planted again in the fall.

Where and when to plant tulips

Planting tulips, like other flowers, must begin with choosing a suitable growing site.

Although tulips can grow in almost any conditions, they are suitable for all climates, These colors also have their own preferences:

1. The site for autumn planting of bulbs should be in the sun. Tulips love sunlight like no other flowers. In the shade, their stems become too elongated, become thin and fragile, and the inflorescences themselves turn pale and smaller. If there are tall deciduous trees in the garden, you can plant the bulbs between them, the foliage will still appear after flowering.
2. The terrain is preferably flat so that water does not stagnate in the area. Excessive humidity is detrimental to the bulbs; to save them from melt water, you need to choose a higher place.
3. Tulips do not like drafts; strong winds can break fragile stems. A site protected from winds is preferable. This could be a flower bed near a fence, a place near the wall of a house or outbuildings, or a flower garden protected by shrubs and tall perennials.

Tulips also have their own preferences regarding soil:

• these flowers do not like acidic soils, because there the number of buds decreases;
• the soil in the area for tulips should be neutral or slightly alkaline;
• Tulips do not need manured soil either, because the bulbs are afraid of rot and fungal infections, which are often carried along with fresh organic fertilizers;
• The soil is preferably loamy, not very loose, capable of retaining moisture. Tulips do not grow well in sandy soil because sand does not hold water. In very loose soils, the bulbs sink to great depths, which slows down the development of tulips, and they bloom much later.

If you plant tulips too early, the bulbs will begin to rot in damp soil and may be damaged by wireworms and other insects, and become infected with various fungi. In addition, the bulbs begin to sprout in warmth, and when frost occurs, these sprouts will inevitably suffer, which will lead to the death of the entire plant. Late plantings lead to freezing of tulips, because the bulbs do not have time to take root well and prepare for winter.

Experienced gardeners say that it is quite possible to plant tulips until January, but you should cover the holes with the bulbs or plant them directly in the snow.

How to prepare the soil before planting tulips in the fall

Tulips are planted in nutritious soil, this is the only way the inflorescences will be large and the plants themselves will be healthy. Therefore, poor soils must be fertilized before planting bulbs.

Mineral and organic fertilizers are suitable as fertilizers in the following quantities:

• well-rotted cow manure at the rate of two buckets for every square meter of land;
• instead of manure, you can use leaf humus or compost in the same quantity;
• they accept flowers and wood ash well - about 200 grams per meter;
• dolomite flour or chalk is necessary in case of soil acidification, take 0.5 kg per square;
• Flowers need superphosphate for abundant flowering - about 50 gm will be needed²;
• potassium sulfate or potassium nitrate will help restore the balance of potassium in the soil - about 30 grams;
• on the day of planting, you can add ammonium nitrate to the ground - no more than 25 grams;
• complex mineral compositions are also well received by tulips (for example, before planting the bulbs, you can add nitrophoska - 100 grams).

Proper planting of tulips in autumn

So, warm autumn days are chosen for planting bulbs. Preparations begin in advance by fertilizing and digging up the soil on the site. The planting itself is carried out in accordance with the scheme:

1. The depth of the holes depends on the size of the bulbs. The rule for planting tulips is: “You need to deepen the seeds at a distance equal to three diameters of the bulb.” If the winters in the region are not very cold, you can reduce this depth by twenty percent so that the tulips bloom earlier. The approximate depth of the holes is 10-15 cm.
2. The distance between the bulbs also depends on their diameter. As a rule, large tulips are usually planted every 8-10 cm, in a row.
3. Usually 20-25 cm are left between the rads, then the flower garden will be well filled with flowers. But here, too, a lot depends on the type of flowers, their height, and the size of the inflorescences.

In principle, each gardener determines the planting scheme for tulips independently, taking into account his own wishes and individual sizes of the bulbs. In Holland, for example, it is customary to plant 100 bulbs on every square meter of land, and the flowers are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. So, the flower garden will be lush and very elegant, but you will need a decent amount of expensive planting material.

Before autumn planting, the bulbs are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate, copper sulfate, or a phytoncide such as Maxima is used. These antiseptics will help prevent tulips from rotting and becoming infected with fungus.

It is recommended to pour a handful of wet sand into each hole before planting. The bulbs are inserted carefully; they are not pressed to the ground so as not to damage the bottom. The top of the hole is filled with loose soil or peat.

Planting daffodils in autumn

Growing tulips and daffodils is practically no different. The only thing that a gardener must take into account is that Daffodils grow in one place for about four years without transplanting. That is, the bulbs of these flowers do not have to be dug up every year; it is enough to do this once every 3-4 years.

Where to plant daffodils

Daffodils are also undemanding to the environment and soil composition, like the tulips discussed above. The bulbs of these flowers must be planted in the fall so that they take root and become stronger before the onset of frost. At the same time, buds are laid in them, from which the flower itself should grow in the spring.

In the fall - in September or early October - choose a place to plant daffodils:

1. A sunny or semi-shady spot in the garden is perfect for daffodils. If you plant the bulbs in deep shade, the flowers will become smaller, and the flowering time will noticeably shift. It has been noticed that in bright sun, daffodils bloom with larger flowers, their flowering time extends for 2-3 weeks.
2. There should be no drafts in the area - daffodils do not like this.
3. The soil needs to be light, well-drained so that moisture does not retain too much. Like all bulbous flowers, daffodils are afraid of high humidity; their bulbs rot as a result.
4. Plant daffodils in loamy soil rich in microelements and moisture. These flowers need more water than other bulbous varieties, and they also love fertilizer.

How to plant daffodils

Autumn planting of daffodils is carried out when the soil at a depth of 10 cm has cooled to +10 degrees. The rooting time for daffodils is about 25-30 days; during this period there should be no severe frosts, but sudden warm weather is also detrimental to bulbous flowers.

Planting daffodils is done as follows:

• It is necessary to deepen the daffodil bulbs depending on their size and soil composition. Large daffodils are planted deeper (up to 25 cm), smaller bulbs are not deepened much (about 10 cm).Daffodils are not buried deeply in hard and dense soils, but in light sandy soils, on the contrary, you can plant daffodils deeper - their stems will easily break through the loose soil.
• Daffodils should not be planted closer than 10 cm from each other - they will not be able to develop normally. It is recommended to plant daffodils at intervals of 12-15 cm.
• Before planting, prepare holes by pouring a handful of dry sand into each hole.
• The planted daffodils are watered and covered with loose soil or peat on top.

Results

Properly planted flowers will certainly delight the owner in the spring: daffodils and tulips are the first large flowers to bloom after winter. A very important step is determining the time of planting the bulbs; in order to choose the right date, you need to monitor the weather in the region.

The gardener must also take into account that in frosty and snowless winters, bulbous plants often freeze out, so It is recommended to mulch plantings of daffodils and tulips a thick layer of peat, leaves, sawdust, and with the onset of heat, remove this shelter. Then all the bulbs planted in the fall will sprout, and the flower beds will look neat, without “bald spots.”

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