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Terry types of tulips are very popular all over the world. They differ from other species in their openwork petals and voluminous bud shape. Tulip Ice Cream is one of the most beautiful varieties of double flowers. It comes in two-color and one-color. The buds look especially beautiful during the blooming period: the petals unfold simultaneously, forming an airy snow-white cloud that crowns the colored base.
Description of the Ice Cream tulip
The tulip buds of the Ice Cream variety look like ice cream, especially the top, in the shape of a fluffy snow-white cap.
Some sources also mention another name for the flower – “Ice cream”
There are many petals on the bud, most often they are two-colored. Their upper tier is painted white. The lower part of the bud is pink, red or lilac. The colored petals of the lower tier have wide green veins. Less common are varieties with monochromatic inflorescences. The petals framing the entire bud are terry; inside they are smooth and even.
The Banana Ice Cream variety was developed relatively recently and is distinguished by the yellow core of a luxurious lush flower.
The diameter of a half-opened bud is approximately 7 cm; when the flower opens completely, its size will exceed 10 cm.
The flower stem is thick, strong and massive. Its height reaches 0.4 m, it is painted in a deep dark green color.
The leaves are large, long and wide, their length is slightly shorter than the stem. The color is pale green, with a smoky touch. In the photo you can see that the tips of the ice cream tulip leaves may turn yellow.
The buds bloom in mid-to-late May, a process that lasts until July. A cut flower retains its color and shape for a long time and does not crumble. The aroma of flowers is rich and bright.
Planting and caring for Ice Cream tulips
Breeders of the variety assure that the crop does not require special attention and grows in any conditions. This is not entirely true; in practice, the Ice Cream tulip is a delicate plant that needs care and attention.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
Ice Cream tulip bulbs are recommended to be planted in open, well-lit flower beds, protected from strong winds. The culture tolerates light shading well, but the brightness of the buds and the height of the stem may suffer in such growing conditions.
Before planting, the soil is carefully dug up and fluffed up. You can mix garden soil with a small amount of sand or clay. If the soil is heavy, humus is added to it (10 kg per 1 m2) or peat. If the area is waterlogged, the beds are made high.
The design of high beds will protect against water accumulation in the winter months and prevent tubers from getting wet
Bulbs begin to be prepared in February.First, they are treated with a weak solution of manganese or Fundazol, then rooted in flower pots filled with garden soil.
The soaking procedure will disinfect the planting material and prevent the appearance of mold.
At the beginning or end of March, depending on weather conditions, the hatched bulbous plants are transferred to open ground.
Landing rules
Planting into the soil on the site is carried out in early spring, as soon as it gets warmer. By this time, Ice Cream tulip bulbs are ready for germination.
Algorithm of actions:
- Fertilize the soil with compost and dig it up.
- Dig holes with a flat bottom, 15 cm deep, the distance between them should be at least 10 cm. The depth of the hole depends on the size of the tuber: small ones are rooted by 7-10 cm, large ones by 15 cm.
- Place a thin layer of sand at the bottom of the planting hole.
- Immerse the germinated bulbs in a potassium solution for 1 hour.
- Place the plant in the hole with the sprout up, dig in with previously removed and fluffed soil, water with warm water (+ 30 ᵒC).
Tulips are planted in groups or rows
Terry tulip Ice Cream is a late variety that easily tolerates low temperatures. The crop can also be planted in October. Only large, strong, healthy bulbs are suitable for autumn planting. The autumn rooting procedure is carried out similarly to the spring one. A month later, the beds with bulbs are hilled up and insulated with spruce branches.
You can plant the Ice Cream variety in containers, after making drainage holes in the bottom and pouring a layer of expanded clay. To root the bulbs, take a soil mixture of turf and compost soil, sand and peat, taken in equal parts.
Watering and fertilizing
Tulip Ice Cream needs regular, moderate watering.If the weather is warm, but not hot, the plant only needs to moisten the soil once a week.
In summer, when the thermometer rises above + 30 ᵒC, and there is no rain for a long time, tulips are watered every other day
Ice Cream variety tulips need regular feeding. The first is carried out during the process of rooting the bulbs by adding compost to the soil.
During the period of growth, budding and flowering, the soil is fertilized at least 5 times per season. For these purposes, complex mineral fertilizer for bulbous crops is used. As soon as the first buds appear on the stem, Ice Cream tulips are watered with a potassium solution. The substance stimulates the appearance of buds, accelerates their flowering, and prolongs it.
Ice Cream tulips can grow in one place for up to 5 years. But to preserve varietal characteristics, flower growers recommend annually digging up the bulbs and planting them again.
Reproduction of Ice Cream tulips
All tulips are propagated by bulbs. Getting kids of the Ice Cream variety is not easy. No more than 2 of them ripen on each bulb. The strongest ones should be selected.
After flowering, the buds are cut off, and the leaves and stems are left until completely dry. Then the bulbs are collected. Planting material is dug up at the end of July or at the beginning of August and left in the open air to dry for a couple of hours. Then the bulbs are cleaned of soil residues and dry husks. During the process, the roots should be inspected and any damaged or moldy roots should be removed.
The tubers are laid out on litter or cardboard in a dry place in one layer. Store for 2-3 weeks at a temperature of + 20 ᵒС. Then it is reduced and brought to + 12 ᵒС. In such conditions, the bulbs are stored until planting.
Diseases and pests
During the growing season, Ice Cream tulips are regularly weeded to get rid of weeds. This helps prevent the development of garden diseases: gray rot, mold.
The tulip suffers from rot, if the soil is waterlogged, this should not be allowed
The main garden pest of Ice Cream tulips is the snail. It is easy to notice by regularly caring for the plant. The slugs are removed from the beds, and the soil is sprinkled with a special powder that repels these insects.
Slugs and snails eat young shoots and leaves of the Ice Cream tulip and destroy the bulbs
An effective remedy against garden pests is tobacco dust. It is sprayed on flower beds.
Conclusion
Tulip Ice Cream is a beautiful flower with lush buds of an unusual shape. They look like ice cream. If you place flower beds with these flowers near the porch or under the windows, in addition to the beautiful view, you can be charmed by the subtle aroma of a blooming tulip. Caring for this rare variety is not difficult; it is important to carry it out regularly and take into account all the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
