Evening star., 1948-09-26
Tulips Repay Every Kindness
Fatal Mistakes in Planting Are Rare;
Some Suggestions on Care of Bulbs
By w. n. Youngmon

Peat moss is highly acid and tulips
need a sweet soil or, at least, one
that contains supply Of lime.
Heavy fertilization is to be avoid
ed because 1t causes the bulbs to di-
vide into a number Of small bulbs
rather than single fat ones. Nitro
gen is the element least needed. An
ample supply of phosphate and pot
ash are beneficial and this implies
that we might safely dump our wood
ashes dime and potash on the tulip
bed before spading. Bonemeal is an
other source Of calcium as well as
phosphate. 1t has given good results
in many local gardens. Bonemeal is
low in nitrogen content.
Tulips should be planted in Octo-
Der in this area. Experiments have
proved that tulips planted rs late
as January and at monthly inter-
vals thereafter produce flowers with
stems progressively 2 inches shorter
for each planting and that bulbs put
in on March / had stems approxi-
mately s inches shorter than flowers
produced from bulbs planted Octo-
Der !.
When to Dig Bulbs.
What Is the effect of digging the
bulbs at various stages Of maturity
upon the subsequent Towering?
Bulbs lifted on May and replanted
in the fall failed to flower. Those
dug in mid-May had bloom on one
out of five bulbs, or 20 per cent.
Bulbs left to deevlop until the
first of June gave 100 per cent
bloom. A safer rule to follow is to
leave them in until the foliage has
matured.
Even though we take the best OF
care Of our tulip bulbs we should
recognize certain varieties as being
best able to survive our soils and
climate. A number of varieties were
planted In q row in q vegetable
garden and left undisturbed for
three years. Some varieties disap-
peared; but one, the white Zwan-
enburg, increased in size and was
producing excellent long -stemmed
flowers.
Among the longer-lasting varieties
are: General De Welt and KaiSers-
kroon, single earlies; Kansas, a
white, and Ursa Minor, yellow, are
two Triumph varieties, and Pride Of
Harlem, Margeaux, Inglescomb
Yellow, Eclipse, Clara Butt, King
George v, Louis XIV, Picotee, Rev.
IEwbank, Mrs. Moon. Moonlight,
White Giant, La Tullipe Noire,
Farncombe Sanders and City of
HARLEM of the Darwin, Cottage and
Breeder groups.
Undoubtedly some of the newer
varieties are equally long lasting
and worthy of planting in this area.
Testing over period of years will
determine their value. Tulip species,
such as T. elusiana, sylvestris, fos-
teriana and kaufmanniana, are less
perishable and longer-lived than
the horticultural varieties.
Keep Bed Cultivated.
Care after Towering also plays an
important part in the life of q tulip
bulb. Instead of neglecting the bed
after the Towering period is past it
Is desirable to keep it cultivated and
watered. Remove spent flowers,
swapping them just below the base
Of the flower (calyx\.. This prevents
the formation Of seed pod which
normally would draw heavily upon
the plants strength.
When the foliage is dry, lift the
bulbs and dry them for several days
in the shade. Drying in the hot sun
is likely to result in splitting of the
protective coat. Thorough drying is
essential in tho control of mildew
and disease. As soon as dry, remove
the stem, the roots and the dirty
outer coat. These hold moisture and
prevent air circulation. When ready
for storing, place in open containers
which permit air circulation-and
store in as cool and as airy q situa-
ton as possible. Spread the bulbs
out thinly in the containers-not
moro than two layers deep.
Since the sizes of tulip bulbs vary
between varieties, 1t is desirable to
buy the largest sized bulbs obtain
able for each variety. 1t is the large,
fat ones that have the stored-up
vitality to produce large flowers on
tall stems.
However, do not discard all of the
smaller bulbs. Plant them in the
garden to produce smaller and
shorter-stemmed flowers for cutting
The children as well as adults will
like their bright blooms.