Tulip problems
Hi, I'm hoping that someone with a good knowledge of tulips can advise me. I planted tulips for the first time two years ago and they alll flowered well in the first year. This year however, while most were fine and even bigger than last year, some had problems.
Some didn't flower, although they produced leaves. So I dug them up and a few had a single small hole bored into them, a couple of millimetres in diameter. These were border plants.
Unfortunately I didn't take any pic's or cut them open as I thought I would easily find information on the internet. However, all I can find is the animals that eat them, and a statement on the RHS site that says slugs can attack bulbs.
Anyone got a clue what it might be?
The other question I have, is about some tulips I had in a pot. They also failed. Again they produced leaves but this time they also produced a flower stem with a bud. But both were weak and stunted in growth and they died. It was a frost resistant pot and this winter has been largely frost free here in Sheffield, with the lowest temperature 2C.
Posts
Slugs are most likely of eaten the tulip bulb, sitting the bulb on sharp sand and put some around the bulb can discourage the little blighters.
Cold weather is no problem for tulips. I buy new bulbs for pots , last years can go in the garden.
Strangely enough bulbs have a habit of thriving after a good frost/winter. I planted mine very late this year, but we still got one night of frost and they are growing rather nicely (phew). In fact, bulbs of flowers that bloom in spring should really be planted Sep-Dec. Got the below schedule from a Dutch nursery's website for reference. The cultivar list translation as follows:
Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils, Crocuses, Alliums, Muscari, Perennials, Snow drops, Eranthis (Buttercup family), Fritillaries.
And the link: https://www.intratuin.nl/bloembollen-planten/