It’s the perfect time to start planting tulips for spring

Starting in August, bulb, plant and tree catalogs are spread all over the counters surrounding my kitchen workstation.

I earmark pages and circle in red ink each item that interests me. After my planning is done, my assistant Shqipe Berisha takes over, ordering enough tulips, daffodils and small bulbs to fill the gardens, as well as greenhouse plants and trees.

Every order is then given to my gardener Ryan McCallister, so he knows what I would like to plant later in the fall. But before any digging begins, the garden beds need to be cleared of any spent plantings, fed with organic fertilizer and lightly composted.

My excitement for tulips each year is a bit like what occurred in 17th-century Holland during the time of “Tulipomania,” when the fervor for certain varieties, due to extraordinary rarity or unique characteristics, caused huge price surges and an actual economic crash.

Thankfully, tulip scarcity is less extreme today, but trends and new favorites still cause bulbs to sell out quickly. My best advice: Place your orders early to guarantee your first choices can be fulfilled by a trusted bulb seller, and take care to map out what color combinations and types you want for specific gardens to assure correct quantities.

I also try hard to choose different types that will bloom early, mid-season and late, and feature a variety of forms, colors and heights. Sound like fun? It is, and indeed, every autumn we follow this schedule.

Because tulips grow and flower most profusely the first spring after planting, we’re careful to keep track of each variety we plant and then document which ones do the best, look the most appealing and last the longest after opening.

Noting these successes and challenges helps inform future orders, and we learn to refer to our favorites by name.

Since I replant them each year, I do not put tulips in all my gardens. Rather I keep them isolated in one or two big beds where they will fare best and can be cut easily.

My gardeners and I have developed a simple method for mass planting, too. Instead of digging individual holes for each bulb, we create long trenches and plant large quantities at a time.

I’ve already planned this year’s order, and I can’t wait for next spring’s spectacular show.

DIGGING IN

Tulips have been hybridized for centuries, and today there are thousands of varieties available to order.

Like daffodils, crocuses and other spring-blooming bulbs, tulips are planted in the autumn because they need winter or an extended cool period to set flower. They’re more than worth the wait; it’s always pure joy to see those first shoots appear after a long winter.

HOW TO PLANT

1. Check bulbs as soon as they arrive. They should be firm, with no soft spots, rot or cracking. Don’t worry if you see some mold, just remove it with a damp cloth. Store them in a dark, cool, dry and airy space until you can plant them.

2. When nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 40s (Fahrenheit), the tulips are ready to go in the ground. Find a location that receives at least six hours of sun and has well-draining soil. Tulips hate “wet feet,” which can cause the bulbs to rot.

3. A general rule when planting bulbs: Dig down at least three times the height of the bulb. For tulips, that means 6 to 8 inches deep. Place them in the ground pointy-side up, and back fill with soil. Lightly mulch after the ground freezes.

4. In the spring, loosen or remove the mulch you’ve applied after the first shoots start to appear. Top dress with an organic fertilizer or compost to feed the bulbs, and water lightly if needed.

MY PICKS

I plant dozens of varieties. Here are some standouts.

1. “MONSELLA” — This showy double-flowered type responds to light, opening wide in the bright sun.

2. “BLUSHING BEAUTY” — Elegant and tall, this late bloomer has long, rose-tinged petals.

3. “ORANGE PRINCESS” — With swashes of pink and purple on its tangerine-colored blooms, this peony type is also fragrant.

4. “BOSTON” — The yellow petals on this two-toned number look like they’ve been dipped in pink paint.

5. “JACKPOT” — Deep, color-saturated petals are edged in white.

6. “TOTTORI” — Tall stems with a burgundy cast hold large, rosy-pink flowers.

MY TOP BULB SOURCES

▪ Brent and Becky’s, brentandbeckysbulbs.com.

▪ McClure & Zimmerman, mzbulb.com.

▪ Old House Gardens, oldhousegardens.com.

▪ Van Engelen, vanengelen.com.

This story was originally published August 19, 2017 at 7:05 AM with the headline "It’s the perfect time to start planting tulips for spring."