Re: Long-lived Tulips

Kitty,
Thank you so much!
Janet


on 01/20/2003 7:29 PM, Kitty Morrissy at kmrsy@earthlink.net wrote:

> For those who asked for the list of long-lived tulips, I felt it was
> important to include the whole article:
> 
> HortJournal October 1995
> 
> Tulip plants can continue to bloom for a decade or more, says August De
> Hertogh, professor of horticulture at NC State U and one of the nations
> leading authorities on bulb culture. He knows of a garden in Raleigh, NC,
> for example, where the tulips are still blooming 28 years after they were
> planted.
> 
> Good drainage is the most important factor in achieving repeat bloom. "If
> I had a flashing neon sign," De Hertogh says, "it would say, IMPROVE THE
> SOIL BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE." If the soil is clayey, adding organic matter
> suchas compost, rotted manure, or peat moss, worked into a depth of one
> foot will improve its drainage. You should also adjust the pH of the soil
> until it is between 6 and 7.
> 
> The site should also receive at least 5 hours of direct sun each day,
> though the bulbs will benefit from a little summer shade. Tulip bulbs
> require a cool, moist winter and a warm summer, but the bulbs should not
> be exposed to temperatures above 70 F. For this reason, De Hertogh
> recommends setting the bulbs a full 8 inches deep (measured from the
> bottom of the bulb to the soil surface) instead of the often recommended
> 6 inches. He also suggests planting annuals or perennials over the bulbs
> because the shade of their foliage will keep the soil and the bulbs cool.
> Along the same lines, tulip bulbs intended for repeat bloomshould not be
> planted near the walls of heated basements because they may not get the
> necessary winter chilling.
> 
> As you plant the bulbs, add 3-4 pounds of balanced fertilizer per 100 sq
> ft. De Hertog likes to use Bulb Booster, a 9-9-6 combination of organic
> and slow release nutrients developed by his colleagues at NC State. To
> ensure subsequent blossoms, apply a couple more pounds of fertilizer to
> the bed early each spring before the bulbs bloom.
> 
> Once the tulip flowers have gone by, the foliage must be allowed to ripen
> and turn brown to replenish the bulbs for next years bloom. To test
> whether the foliage is fully ripened, gently rotate and pull on the
> flowers stem. If it comes off with hardly any resistance, you can safely
> remove the spent foliage.
> 
> De Hertogh says that, contrary to popular belief, the species or
> so-called botanical tulips are not more perennial than other tulips,
> though some, such as the Greigii variety Little Red Riding Hood, do
> perennialize. Until bulb growers come up with a truly perennial tulip,
> gardeners can draw from the following list that can be expected to last
> for at least several years.
> 
> Single Early: Yokohama
> 
> Double Early: Hoangho
> 
> Triumph: Arabian Mystery, Bing Crosby, Blenda, Delmonte, Don Quichotte,
> Dreaming Maid, Frankfurt, High Society, Kansas, Kees Nelis, Leen vander
> Mark, Los Angeles, Merry Widow, Negrita, Oscar, Preludium, Prince
> Charles, Princess Victoria, Thule
> 
> Darwin Hybrids: Ad Rem, Beauty of Apeldoorn, Diplomate, Golden Apeldoorn,
> Golden Parade, Golden Oxford, Gordon Cooper, Gudoshnik
> 
> Hollands Glorie, Jewel of Spring, Oranjezon, Oxford, Parade, Spring
> Song, Striped Apeldoorn, Yellow Dover
> 
> Single Late: Demeter, Dillenberg, Ile de France, Make Up,
> 
> Parrot: Karen Doorman
> 
> Fosteriana: Candela, Juan, Orange Emperor
> 
> Greigii: Oriental Beauty, Toronto
> 
> *******
> 
> I have a little more Id like to share but will put it in another post.
> 
> Kitty
> 
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