How to Grow Tulips

If your bulbs haven't been pre-chilled, put them in the fridge crisper for 4-6 weeks to trick them into thinking they've been through a cool winter.

In a well-drained, sunny location out in the garden, enrich the soil in the planting area with some Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. The rich pellets will help improve the structure of the soil, encourage earthworms and beneficial microorganisms and provide the newly planted bulbs with gentle, slow release organic nutrients to promote good early bulb growth.

Follow the directions on the bulb pack as to how deep to plant your chosen bulbs and ensure that you plant them the right way up!

Cover with soil.

Water the garden bed or pot after planting to help settle the soil or potting mix around the bulbs. Potted bulbs will need regular watering to ensure they have enough moisture.

As soon as the first leaves emerge, you can start to feed the bulbs each week with a high potassium plant food such as Yates Thrive Flower & Fruit Soluble Fertiliser, which encourages healthy growth and helps promote future flowers. Monitor for snails and slugs too, which can damage the tender new shoots. Sprinkle some Blitzem Snail & Slug Pellets around the bulb patch to protect the leaves from snails and slugs. Continue feeding until most of the leaves have died down in late spring or early summer.

After the flowers and foliage die, lift the bulbs from the soil and store them in a cool dry place ready for the next season.

For potted bulbs, choose a pot or bowl with good drainage holes and fill with a quality potting mix such as Yates Premium Potting Mix. Place it in a position that gets full sun.

Follow the directions on the bulb pack as to how deep to plant your chosen bulbs and ensure that you plant them the right way up! When planting bulbs in a pot, they can be grown quite close together, which helps create a lovely dense look. Cover with soil.

Keep the soil nice and moist ensuring not to overwater.

When flower buds appear, feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. 

After the flowers and foliage die, lift the bulbs from the soil and store them in a cool dry place ready for the next season.

• Warm climate tip: in warm areas try ixias, gladioli, babiana and Zephryanthes (rain lilies) for spring colour.

• Keep the bulbs in the fridge from April to May. This can prevent the flower spike initiation until early spring.

• Make sure you store the bulbs in a paper bag after removing and keep in a cool dry place.
• Grow Tulips in clumps and surround with dwarf annuals such as alyssum, bellis or violas.