Ask Leonie
If you would like to ask a garden design or planting based question do get in touch on gardens@mailonsunday.ie
Q This year I decided to plant up some tulips in a pot and went for a lovely combination of three layers of bulbs specifically for a container. I planted them about three weeks ago but nothing seems to be happening. Am I being too impatient or do you think there is a problem with the bulbs? Perhaps I am doing something wrong in how I’m caring for them – I water them about twice a week and have placed them in a sunny spot on my patio.
Joan, Galway A Growing combinations of tulips in a pot is a fabulous idea. I have seen many wonderful examples of opulently planted containers – from terracotta to metal dustbins – and when planted correctly, tulips put on a wonderful show.
The first thing I’d say is that the best time to plant tulips is in autumn so the bulbs have the winter season to produce roots, ensuring they will have a sufficient root system come spring. You see, tulips need a spell of cold temperatures to encourage them to flower. If you do plant the bulbs in early spring, they may just take that bit longer to get going – but sometimes they do not produce flowers. Did you check the bulbs before planting them? I always look at the texture of the bulb to make sure there is no softness and that there is no mould on them. If there is it means they have possibly not been stored correctly and are past their sell by date and should not be planted.
The next thing to get right is planting the bulbs to the correct depth. For most tulips the rule would be if the bulb is about 3cm long, then the soil covering it should be about double that depth. Then, with regard to spacing, for a really opulent display I like to get them in quite close together – maybe 6cm or so apart.
A good idea is to stagger the depth you plant them at so perhaps plant a few of the bulbs at a slightly lower level so that the flowers will not all be the same height, making the arrangement look very natural. You can also use a mix or early, mid and late varieties so that one will take over from another and give a longer lasting display.
I also like to use a trick English garden designer David Domoney showed me years ago to encourage growth: when putting the bulbs in the soil twist them into it as though you’re twisting in a lightbulb. Clever.
How long it takes to flower depends on the tulip. If you’re planting spring flowering ones, you need to plant them the previous autumn. I recently planted some early summer tulips in a container just because I loved them and couldn’t wait until autumn and it only took a week and a half for the tips to start showing.
However, I did leave them in my fridge for a week to simulate winter temperatures and then fed them with a good quality fertiliser. It will be interesting now to see if they flower, fingers crossed. If not, then they will have a great start for the following season. I’d say be patient with your own, sometimes the process can take longer depending on your soil conditions and weather. I’d love to see them if they do come out, send me a picture!