You can vary bloom time within a grouping of the same tulip by varying the depth several inches. Even though a true bulb has everything it needs to bloom, tulips will profit from being fertilized when they are planted. Bulb food, an improvement on bone meal, works best when scratched into the surface of the soil after planting. Squirrels may be a problem, since they love tulip bulbs and love to dig where you have just planted. A few handfuls of sharp gravel in with the bulb often deters squirrels.
Most gardeners have luck covering the area where tulips are planted until the ground freezes.
Once tulips have made it through the few weeks when they smell like a fresh, tasty treat, squirrels leave them alone. You can cover a small grouping with a pot saucer or a board. Large areas can be covered with chickenwire. Spreading blood meal or moth balls on the surface of the ground where you have planted tulips may confuse the squirrel's sense of smell and keep them from knowing where to dig. Squirrels are a problem, and you may have to experiment until you find what works for you.