The art of buying your bulbs
When it comes to buying tulips, leave it too late and you won’t have much to choose from, but buy too soon and you’ll struggle to store them mould-free until planting time. I attempt to get around this problem by ordering tulips online in September but selecting an October, or even November, delivery option. If buying in shops I usually start in week two of October, so I’ve only got to store them for a couple of weeks. If you do have to buy early or your order arrives sooner than requested, store bulbs in a cool, dark spot with a bit of air movement, such as the garage rafters, and check them every few days to remove any that are developing blue mould. When you’re ready to plant (ideally November), reject any with signs of blue mould and plant them around 5-7cm deeper than the packet recommends.