Tulip Lily Flowering Claudia

Planting

• Plant these bulbs in fall.
• If you cannot plant your bulbs right away store them in a cool, dry, dark location, like a basement.
• Plant them with the pointy end up in a sunny to semi-shaded area about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) deep and 10 cm (4 in) apart.
• Water thoroughly after planting.

Growing

• Plant bulbs with different bloom times together for an ongoing show of colour.
• These bulbs do best in loose, well-drained soil.
• Plant the taller varieties somewhat out of the wind, due to their height.
• These bulbs are suitable for almost every possible application: fields, beds, containers, borders, rock gardens, as cut flowers and for forcing.

Taking Care

• If you have problems with deer, spray the bulbs with deer repellent when the bulbs are 5 cm (2 in) out of the ground and when the flower bud is visible.
• Fertilize your tulips just before blooming with a slow-release fertilizer for the best chance to bloom again next year.
• Remove the flowers when they are spent.

Winterizing

• After flowering, the leaves should be allowed to die down. The leaves will gather sunlight and provide nourishment for next year’s show.
• Tulips require a period of cold weather while they’re dormant and resting between shows.
• Most tulips should be treated as annuals, some Fosteriana, Greigii and species tulips are suitable for naturalizing.