THE TROUBLE WITH TULIPS
Several friends who were more diligent than I about ordering their spring-flowering bulbs have already received their bulb shipments. I await mine, which should arrive any day now. Once again this year I have made every effort to order enough tulips for a stunning floral display next April. I know that I will install those tulip bulbs with high hopes over the next few weeks and my back and knees will tell me that I have planted in abundance. Next spring, I will find out whether my back and knees were good prognosticators. In my heart, though, I think there is probably only one way to get enough tulips in the ground–continue planting until you are unable to stand up.
I don’t have much trouble with animals digging up the bulbs in my garden, though occasionally a squirrel will indulge in some “squirrel landscaping”—unearthing crocus bulbs and replanting them in alternate locations determined by unfathomable squirrel logic. Tulip bulbs planted in specific locations generally stay put and survive to bloom in the spring. Return engagements in successive springs are a different matter entirely, and though I resent having to do it, I usually treat tulips as annuals.
Bulb vendors never used to mention the issue of the return or disappearance of tulips after the first year. Now some of them are a little more open about the whole thing. I noticed the following caveat under “Giant Darwin Hybrid Tulips” in the current edition of the John Scheepers catalog:
“…their huge, strong-stemmed flowers may return for several years when in a sunny spot with regular fertilizer feedings (do not cut for bouquets if you want them to come back).”
I tend to plant my tulips in all kinds of places—sunny locales, under deciduous trees, around the shrubs, etc. Generally I forget to feed them. I love to cut tulips for bouquets. All of that adds up to one thing—new tulips every year.
So what can you do to maximize pleasure and minimize expense? You can buy the little species tulips, like Tulipa bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’, which is about seven inches tall, with pale purple flowers that feature yellow centers. My father had years of good luck with a species tulip that resembled Tulipa clusiana var. chrysantha ‘Tubergen’s Gem’, with red and yellow petals. If you are going to pick these little tulips, but want to make landscape impact, select those that come in bright colors.
For those with container or small space gardens, the species tulips are an excellent choice. You can even interplant them in containers with larger-flowered varieties.
The species tulips are wonderful, but most of us love the tall, long-stemmed beauties. My advice is to pick the ones you like—and the selection is enormous—and plant them wherever you have the room. The only place to avoid is under evergreens, where they will never get enough sun to bloom properly. Those that you plant in very sunny locations that get baked in the summer will have the best chance of returning in subsequent years. Generally the second or third year they are a little smaller than in the first year. If you have the time, lift the tulips after they have bloomed and the foliage has had a chance to wither. Replant them in sunny, out of the way locations. If they bloom the following year, treat it as a nice piece of serendipity. If they don’t, it won’t matter much to your overall landscape.
Some people I know have given up growing tulips completely because of deer problems. I have given this a lot of thought since Mr. Antlers and his posse have invaded my neighborhood. You can try interplanting with daffodils, which the antlered crew prefers to avoid. This may or may not work. If you have the room, you can create a small enclosed area and concentrate your tulips there. You can use repellant sprays, but many of them have to be reapplied after rainstorms.
If you have a sunny porch, terrace or other space that is inaccessible to Mr. Antlers’ relatives, grow your tulips—large flowered or species types—in pots. After they finish blooming, change them out for annuals or whatever else your heart desires. That way you can enjoy your tulips and other deer delicacies at close range while the dastardly deer gaze in confusion at the array of unappetizing hellebores and foxgloves that you have planted in your flower garden. Remember that your IQ is still higher than even the brightest of Mr. Antlers’ fellow travelers. People who love flowers and gardens should never give up. There is always a way to outwit the deer.
At this time in the retailing year, you can pick up good bargains on tulip bulbs and you can plant them any time from now until the end of December, as long as the ground is not hard. Any leftovers can go in containers and overwinter outside. For a good selection, go to John Scheepers, 23 Tullip Drive, PO Box 638, Bantam, CT 06750; (860) 567-0838; www.johnscheepers.com. Free catalog.