Experts are sharing their advice for growing tulips, including Martha Stewart who shared her trusted technique for growing “luscious” tulips.
Now another gardener has shared an important tip about planting tulip bulbs this month. She warned if tulips are planted earlier than November, they can develop tulip fire which causes twisted, withered leaves and brown spots.
The disease is caused by the fungus Botrytis tulipae, which thrives in moist environments with warm temperatures and high humidity levels. Therefore, the popular bulb should be planted in November, when conditions are cooler and the fungus is less likely to spread.
Garden designer Pollyanna Wilkinson has taken to TikTok to encourage green-fingered followers to plant their tulips. She said: “It’s November and I’m calling it. It is time to plant your tulips. Night-time temperatures are consistently below 10C, so you can plant all of your bulbs now.”
The gardening guru added: “Just make sure to plant them at least two to three times the depth of your bulb.” In another video, she said: “Just a tip, when you’re choosing your tulips, there are early flowers and late, so make sure you plant some of both, so you get that succession of color.”
@pollywilkinsongarden
IT IS TIME! Get those Tulips, Narcissus, Fritillaries, Crocus, Allium – and all the other spring bulbs in the ground NOW!Weve been waiting for temperatures to drop consistently below 10c at night, so as long as you live in an area where thats the case, theres nothing stopping you – Except the chore of actually planting them. And for those tight on time, dont worry, youve the whole of November and December to get it done.
original sound – Pollyanna Wilkinson
Polly Nicholson, speaking to Gardens Illustrated, suggested planting tulip bulbs further apart to prevent the spread of tulip fire. She also recommended rotating where you plant your tulips to stop the disease from building up in the soil.
She changes her tulips every four years, saying: “A bed which has been planted with tulips for cutting remains tulip-free for three years, to allow any pathogens lurking in the soil to dissipate.” Dutch Growth advises removing infected tulips completely and checking for other heavily infected ones nearby. Infected leaves should be thrown away too.
If tulips aren’t your thing, Gardeners World suggests planting bare-root fruit trees like apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees. These trees are dormant when planted but will grow when spring arrives. The gardening site also notes that November is a good time to plant vegetables such as broad beans and salad leaves, as this can bring your harvest forward by a few weeks.
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