Alas, the flowering period of tulips is very short: after a few days, the beginning of the wilting of flowers is noted, which leads to a loss of the aesthetic appeal of the flowerbed. And a dilemma arises: take further action or leave everything as it is. So, there really is a lot of work to be done, but the first step will be a detailed study of the nuances of caring for tulips after flowering.
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Tulips have faded - further action
Many novice flower growers have a question when tulips have faded: what to do next with them.
There are a number of rules on which care for faded tulips is based:
- If you want to propagate the variety you like and grow large bulbs, you need to trim the tulip heads a week after blooming - at the moment before the flowers are showered. After the procedure, the bulbs will experience intense mass buildup.
- Fallen petals are subject to immediate cleaning, otherwise their accumulation in the axils of the leaves will provoke decay.
- You can not prune the stems to their full yellowing: this will lead to the cessation of bulb development.
- To check the ripening of the bulb, you need to dig one out and make sure that there are formed roots and brown spots on the scales.
- Dig the bulbs by driving the shovel to a sufficient depth, which will avoid root injuries.
However, this is only a general set of care requirements, which is subject to more detailed consideration.
Pruning plants
Only fully wilted inflorescences and tulip leaves after flowering are subject to pruning.A wilted flower discards its peduncle, arrow and leaves on its own as soon as it completes its nutrition. But there are instances that need outside help.
It is worthwhile to understand that it is the peduncle and leaves that are responsible for the accumulation of nutritious things and laying the foundation for the development of new bulbs: chemical processes continue in these flower organs. Thus, the removal of the aerial part of the flower earlier than the due date can lead to the death of the bulb itself.
According to experts, pruning is better to begin after a month interval after the end of flowering. And due to the fact that each flower undergoes an individual transition to the mode of accumulation of energy, nutrients and a further state of dormancy, it should not be expected that the plants will blossom together, and wilted flower stalks and leaves can be removed in one approach. On the contrary, it is a painstaking and lengthy process, in which there is a close acquaintance of the grower with magnificent flowers in his garden.
Fertilizing under wilting plants
The presence of such chemical elements as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in the soil is necessary for most plants, including tulips. With their deficiency, the flower development rate is significantly reduced, resulting in its underdevelopment: thin stems, small buds, a small number of new bulbs. Therefore, regular feeding is an integral part of care.
However, the application of mineral fertilizers should be carried out not only during soil preparation or flower vegetation, but also after it drops the petals. This is due to the fact that flower buds continue to form throughout the summer. Thus, it is necessary to fertilize a withering plant with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer diluted in water for irrigation. The concentration is 2 tablespoons per 1 bucket of water.
Tulip transplantation after flowering: features and timing
To the question: when to dig up tulips after flowering, there is an approximate answer - in June, one and a half months after the petals wilt. As mentioned above, if the flowers are disturbed earlier than expected, then the bulbs may not receive enough nutrients and not fully mature. Accordingly, next spring the gardener will not see that marvelous beauty of the flower with which he is able to delight the eye. However, in the case of a late digging of bulbs, the “nest” will dry out - a large number of children in the soil will be lost.
According to some owners of suburban areas, tulips do not need to be excavated and transplanted after the first landing. This view is absolutely wrong: every year the bulb goes deeper into the ground, which leads to an increase in the distance that the sprout needs to overcome. And this, in turn, requires large energy costs from the bulb - an increase in nutrition. Her too deep underground can end in death and loss of variety.
It is worth highlighting only the conditions characteristic of a warm climate: at a temperature of 20 ° C already in early April, carrying out a tulip transplant every 2-3 years is considered a sufficient indicator.
Digging tulip bulbs
Remembering that the bulbs have the ability to penetrate into the soil, you should carefully dig up the flower and remove the mother-bulb with the children, removing the roots and dried stems. In favor of the full ripening of the bulb, dense brown scales will appear, the surface layer of which can be removed. This will allow to dry well planting material and examine it for diseases.
According to some experienced gardeners, you should not remove the stems and roots immediately. They recommend putting tulips in a shaded place until the leaves completely dry, and only then eliminate them. Thus, the bulbs will draw out everything possible from them.
Storage conditions for planting material
Firstly, well-dried onions are considered suitable for storage.They should be dried in a warm place, without light sources, spread out in one layer.
Further, following simple rules will allow you to get good quality landing material for landing:
- Before sending boxes with planting material to a dark place, it is necessary to calibrate it: adult bulbs should be folded in one container, and children in other containers.
- To prevent the death of bulbs, air ventilation should be provided, since they need air access: planting material continues to “breathe” and release moisture.
- Within two months, the temperature should be maintained in the range from 20 to 25 °, and two to three weeks before the procedure for disembarkation, it should be reduced by 5 °.
- During storage, the bulbs should be periodically turned over and rejected rotten, soft and specimens with other defects should be discarded.
Pre-drop treatment
Before planting, the bulbs are peeled off, so that it is possible to determine the likely foci of infection hidden under it. After this procedure, you can sort the sick specimens.
When healthy bulbs are separated from infected ones, they can be treated with fungicide by placing them in the working fluid for at least an hour. In case of damage to expensive varietal bulbs by a disease, it is worthwhile to perform an operation before planting: with a well-sharpened tip of the knife, with great care, in order not to touch the lower layer of juicy scales, it is necessary to eliminate the affected pulp, capturing an insignificant part of the healthy one. Then, using an ear stick, treat the injured places of sick specimens with a fungicidal solution.
After drying the wounds, the duration of which is 20 minutes, soak the prepared seed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, lasting 1 hour.
The final stage is the planting of the treated bulbs in the soil while maintaining the sorting - healthy apart from the infected ones.
Despite the fact that this is a rather troublesome task, the use of this method makes it possible to rid the bulb of infection and not infect the soil in the garden. And also it allows you to grow healthy tulips that will award gardeners with magnificent flowering and give quality offspring.
Dates and features of planting tulips in the garden
The optimal time for planting tulips is considered to be the period from mid-September, lasting a month and a half. However, an error should be taken into account, which depends on the climatic conditions of different regions. For example, in the north, landing can be carried out in early autumn, while closer to the south, the dates are usually shifted to the end of October. To correctly determine the planting of flowers in a particular area, it is enough to possess information regarding the optimal temperature regime of the soil.
Bulbs should be planted when, at a depth of 10 cm, the temperature has dropped below 10 ° C. Tulips planted in the ground, where the temperature is above this value, will germinate before the winter and will not bloom in the spring season. If the flowers are planted later than the deadline, this can lead to the fact that at the time of frost, the root system will be underdeveloped.
So, caring for tulips after flowering is a rather time-consuming process, including: top dressing, timely pruning of the aerial part of the flower, digging bulbs, calibrating them, storing and processing the solution with fungicidal action, followed by planting in open ground. However, if you follow all the rules, then even an inexperienced grower can grow elite and most capricious varieties of tulips in the garden.
