Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 11/4/2003

Question
Hi kenneth,
I'd like to achieve that beautiful "carpet" effect with my tulips. Luckily, I have a large bed in front of my house with nothing in it at the moment. I live on the south shore of Long Island, New York.

Please let me know the best method of planting my tulips and daffodils to achieve a carpet look.  Should I dig a large portion of the bed with a shovel, or should I use a bulb planter?
What is the best way to "swirl" the colors to achieve the show-stopping effects you see in the catalogs?

Thank you!

Answer
Preparre bed by digging it to a dept of 12" deep and remove the top 6" of soil. Mix in plenty of organic matter (compost) if available.

Firm the soil down gently and plant bulbs (space them 6" apart) in each row and stagger each row so that the bulbs are not placed directly on top of each other. example:

you want the pattern to look like the figure 5 on a dice:
---x---x---
-----x-----
---x---x---

Plant all tulips at the same dept (covered with same amount of soil) to ensure even blooming. A bed could look like this:


---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---o---o---o---o
-x---x---x---x---x---x---x---o---o---o---o--
---x---x---x---x---x---x---o---o---o---o---o
-x---x---x---x---x---x---o---o---o---o---o--
---x---o---o---x---x---o---o---o---o---o---o
-x---x---o---o---o---o---o---o---o---x---x--
---x---x---o---o---o---o---o---o---x---x---x
-x---x---x---o---o---o---o---o---o---x---x--

x = red
o = yellow

make sure the tip of the tulip bulbs are facing up. Gently scoop the soil back on top of the bulbs and when covered topdress with a bulb fertilizer. then put remaining soil back. cover with 1-2" layer of mulch (shredded hardwood mulch or shredded fall leaves). Water the bed very well to settle the soil around the roots and activate the bulbs.

Use tulips of similar size/look for best effect. I prefer to use the tall DARWIN HYBRID tulips. If you decide to go with these, then try PARADE and GOLDEN PARADE (red and yellow respectively). Make large drifts with solid colors rather than individually mixing. E.g. try to create a large wavy shape (a ying-yang shape) rather than straight lines. Some prople prefer to mix the colors all together. I prefer larger solid groups of colors.

It is easiest if you draw the pattern on a piece of squared paper where each square representing 1/4 sq foot (4 squares makes one sq foot area). Then highlight your bulbs on the paper and bring it with you to plant. Keep different color bulbs seperated in different crates to avoid confusion (the bulbs all look the same).

I prefer to use 1-2 colors instead of a multitude of colors. Don't mix darwin, triumph, or single early tulips (for example). keep to one type (like Darwins) and use preferably two bulbs of identical growth habit (like gallant and golden gallant, parade and golden parade) if available. The darwin hybrid tulips usually emerge and bloom all at the same time. Note: Darwin Hybrid "Pink Parade" is noticably larger than the other darwin hybrids and should be planted in the back.

Single early bloom first followed by Triumph, then Darwin and then finally the May flowering or Single Late tulips.
Triumph's are noticably smaller than other tulips.

In spring fertilize the bed as soon as the bulbs stick their head above the ground and then again as the tulips flower. keep the flower bed well watered in spring as soon as growth occurs.

If you have a deer problem you need to buy sprays like Deer Off to keep the deer away. they love tulips.

P.s. get the bulbs in the ground right now. don't wait too long. If possible plant in an area which will get direct full sun in the early spring.

Good luck.