A 8. 5 inch (22 cm) pot can hold anywhere from 2-9 tulip bulbs. A pot that is 22 inches (56 cm) in diameter will be able to hold approximately 25 medium-sized tulip bulbs. Drainage holes are important so that water doesn’t pool on the bottom of the pot and rot the bulbs.
Potting soil is often better than the soil you can get in your yard or garden because it will retain moisture better, it’s filled with nutrients that promote growth, and it will have better drainage.
The pointed end of the bulb should be facing up. Planting more bulbs will result in more flowers, but it will increase the competition for nutrients and water. If you’re crowding the bulbs, be sure to water and apply fertilizer regularly.
Cover the top layer of bulbs with 5–8 inches (13–20 cm) of soil. You can plant the second layer of bulbs directly over the first layer.
If you are keeping the bulbs inside you’ll have to water them approximately 2-3 times per week. If you are keeping the bulbs outside and there is regular rainfall, you don’t have to water them. If there is a drought, water them 2-3 times per week.
If you are keeping the pots outside, it’s best to plant the bulbs when the temperature outside is 45–55 °F (7–13 °C). If you purchased bulbs that are pre-chilled, you can skip this step.
If it’s 70 °F (21 °C) and you are keeping your tulips outside, put the pots under a shaded area like under a tree or awning.
Double early, fosteriana, kaufmanniana, greigii, and single early tulips will typically bloom earlier in the year. Darwin hybrid, fringed, triumph, and lily flowered tulips are mid-season bloomers. Parrot, single Late, viridiflora and double late bloom later in the season. [8] X Research source
If you are keeping the pots outside, only water the bulbs if it doesn’t rain for over a week. Continue watering the bulbs during the dormancy phase.
You can keep your pots under the partial shade of a tree or under an awning to keep them out of direct sunlight. The soil in a pot will often get hotter than the soil in a yard or garden. Avoid using dark-colored pots, since they will absorb the sunlight and increase the soil temperature.
Removing dead petals will encourage the tulips to bloom again the next year.
Prevent squirrels and other animals from eating your tulips by keeping them indoors, putting a wire mesh over the soil, or fencing them in. Common tulip diseases include basal rot, root rot, and tulip fire, a fungal disease. Do not plant tulip bulbs that have white fungus on them, because it can spread and hurt the rest of the tulips in your pot.
You can bring the tulips back outside in the late fall or early spring of the next year.
If you are removing your bulbs off-season, store them in a cool and dark place, like a refrigerator, until you’re ready to plant them. Use a quality potting mix with compost and fertilize it throughout the year if you don’t want to replace the soil every year. All you have to do is top dress the soil with compost just before the growing season.
