For a variety of reasons, it can make sense to transplant tulip bulbs to another location in the garden. In order for the heralds of spring to understand the strenuous process of moving without harm, it depends on the professional approach. Read here how to do it right.
Tulip bulbs can easily be dug up after flowering and planted in a new spot in the fall
Planting tulip bulbs at the right time
Whatever your reason for wanting to plant tulip bulbs in your garden, early summer is the ideal time to do this. At the end of the flowering period, the flower bulbs can still be easily identified by looking at the leaves in the ground. In addition, with this choice of date, you reduce the strain on the flower to a minimum. How to do it professionally:
- Do not lift the tulip bulbs out of the ground until the leaves have fully retracted
- Use a hand shovel to reach 30-35 cm under the onion so as not to damage the roots
- Shake off the soil, cut off the foliage and rotten root strands
If you hold the clean tulip bulbs in your hands, the first phase is done. As mid-summer is not the ideal time to plant tulips, store the bulbs in a cool, dark basement until autumn. To do this, place the tubers in a box of dry sand or peat dust without the skins touching. The better the air can circulate during the summer, the lower the risk of rot.
Plant new in the fall
The time window for the second phase opens in mid-October. After a dry, dark summer, the 'relocating tulips in the garden' project has a happy ending when you plant the bulbs in the new, sunny spot like this:
- Dig planting holes 15-20 cm apart in humus-rich, sandy-loamy soil
- Insert a tulip bulb into each of them at a depth that is three times their height
- Enrich the excavation with compost to fill the holes
Finally, press down the soil and water. If you see small brood bulbs on the tulip bulbs before transplanting, first separate the offspring so that they can be planted in their own planting hole.
tips
You will rarely come across wild tulips (Tulipa sylvestris) in the wild. Due to extensive use of herbicides, the spring flower has become so rare that it is protected. If you are lucky enough to spot the yellow flower cups, please just admire or photograph. Picking or even digging up is strictly forbidden and will be punished with high fines.