Forgot to Plant Bulbs? Still Time for Tulips
Although it is now too late to plant most spring-flowering bulbs, there is one notable exception.
Tulips are for procrastinators. Most varieties can be planted for several more weeks with acceptable results come tulip season, which falls mostly in April. Champions of the sport of procrastination delay planting until late February, which is a bit risky as the bulbs’ root development before spring will be minimal if any, especially for early-season varieties.
Nevertheless, some adventurous gardeners love to take such risks and get double pleasure when the result is satisfactory. On the other hand, you seldom hear anyone acknowledging that late planting led to puny growth.
Tulip bins at garden centers are picked over or empty by now, and you may have to call several catalogs to obtain the cultivars you want, but if you are not too finicky and are willing to accept substitutes, those brownish, onion-like bulbs could be in your hands within a week. They must have a firm feel. If they have soft spots, you should ask for replacements or your money back.
To plant, dig a hole in the soil two inches deeper than the recommended depth and leave fine, chopped-up soil at the bottom so roots can easily spread and anchor the plant. Fill the cavities with the backfill or, better yet, pour in choice topsoil from a bag. Water the whole area well--this is important.
As for tulip varieties, you might stay with old favorites, usually still available this time of year. For instance, most mail-order establishments sell their own mixes of Rembrandts--streaked varieties made famous in paintings by old masters. Or you could ask for a selection that features tulips blooming in succession, from early to late season.
But you might want to take advantage of the fact that 1997 was a good year for hybridizers, always under pressure to produce unusual tulips. One spectacular example is Violet Bird, in an intriguing color combination: apple-green flames rising from the stem and blending with deep plum-purple. It is a parrot tulip, which means petals have asymmetrical flares and scalloping, as well as random fringes. It blooms in late season.
Also new on this side of the Atlantic is Orange Princess, a current Dutch favorite, appreciated for its large, powderpuff-double, roselike flowers. The basic color is an orange-red, complemented with a thin yellow margin, in addition to pink blushes and garnet flames. It blooms early in the season.
One of the liveliest new yellows is called Big Smile. The color is long-lasting and buttery, and the flower is egg-shaped. It is a late bloomer. For those who have had problems with tulips keeling over in storms, Pink Impression may be the solution. Its stems, up to 22 inches tall, are extra-sturdy, and the color is a subtle mix of pink, rose and apricot. It is a midseason bloomer.
If the idea of a black tulip fascinates you, don’t hesitate to order such very dark cultivars as Queen of Night (the deepest maroon), Black Diamond (dark mahogany), Black Parrot (violet-black) or Burgundy (deep purple rather than burgundy). They are not true black--a shade that so far has eluded hybridizers and one that experts say will never be seen. But these varieties are close, particularly when they stand next to tulips with light-colored blooms.
In case you stumble across a forgotten bag of spring-flowering bulbs that are not tulips, it is best to use them indoors and force them into blooming. But first, chill them for a few weeks in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator--not in the freezer--and keep them away from ripening fruit.
