Mid-March Ideal Time For Planting Tulips

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31315, 10 March 1967, Page 8

Mid-March Ideal Time For Planting Tulips

Holland is most readily associated with tulips and for a long time Dutch bulbs were exported to all parts of the world. Although they still are, many countries, including New Zealand, grow their own'.

The origin of most New Zealand stocks is Dutch, and Canterbury is one of the predominant growing areas. The tulip, of which there are at least 100 species and literally thousands of varieties which are being constantly added to, belongs to the family Lilaceae and is primarily a spring flowering bulb but as a group blooms later. The name is derived from the Turkish word “tulbend” turban, which indeed the flower resembles. It owes its great, long and continuing popularity perhaps to the fact that its colour range practically covers the whole spectrum. In form it ; can range from little more than Bin specimens to those nearly 3ft tall. Tulips are not fastidious in their demands, but they succeed best in well-drained sandy soil to which decomposed organic matter has been deeply worked in well in advance. Water retentiveness as against water logging is an important soil requirement, as is the need for lime where this has not been added recently. The addition of bone dust, too, can be recommended as it is only slowly available to the plant. Blood and bone provides a suitable alternative although it is much quicker acting. Shelter from strong wind is desirable but to minimise the incidence of diseases such as “tulip fire” an open position should, if possible, be selected. They do not grow well in hot conditions or very heavy soils.

Mid-March is an ideal time for planting as it gives them time to establish themselves before the onset of less favourable weather. Depth of planting is dependent on bulb size and soil An average

bulb should be planted up to 6in deep in light soils but only 4in deep in heavy soils, when they should also have a bit of sand put around them. Reference to planting depth is to the base of the bulb in each case. Choice is wide and varied, through diversity and number, which also help to make the classification of tulips appear confusing. This can be simplified in a way by dividing them up according to their season, which extends for about eight weeks.

(1) There are the early singles and doubles which consist of comparatively large flowers of diverse colour

range, the blooms being carried on 6in to Bin stems. These are ideal for early bedding displays. (2) The mid-season group which appear between the Earlies and the next group the Darwins. The stems of this group are up .in to 18in long and many new colours and shades of tulips are represented here.

(3) The Darwin group which includes the late flowering Cottage tulips. This late flowering group is very popular and provides flowers of diverse colours with very long stems. (4) The Parrot group includes laciniated flowers of striking colours.