Expert: Long Island Gardener - 1/13/2008

Question
I just received 60(!) tulip bulbs for Christmas. It is now January 13th and I still have not had a chance to plant them. Should I plant them this next week or is it too late? Will they live if I store them until next October? If so, where should I store them?

p.s. I live in Brownwood, Texas. Currently the temperature ranges from low 30's to high 60's.

Answer
Cindy, if you don't plant those Tulips pronto, it will be too hot for them to grow.  Get them in the ground NOW.  It's your only shot at keeping them.

A word of advice:

Many Tulips are just not bred for anything but beauty.  If they find the strength to return, they are often weak and small.  To stand a fighting chance, they need full Sun, 2 months of cool weather to establish roots, and good care after the blooms are spent so they can build a flower for next year.

Temperatures in the 80s are too hot for Tulips.  If it gets that hot, and you have them in pots, you can keep them in a cool room in the house or in a refrigerator on very hot days.  These plants are not built for tropical weather.  They're mountain plants.  They love Snow and Ice.

After they fade, and the leaves have shriveled, they should be lifted and kept in a paper bag in your basement -- somewhere dry and cool.  Refrigerators have too much moisture to succeed as storage sites for Tulips.

Any questions, let me know.  Thanks for writing.