Silk Road Tulip Bulbs

Silk Road: Double Early Tulip Bulbs

A bit of a "wait and see" variety, the big, double, ivory flowers develop variable levels of pink that ranges from a mere hint to a full blush as they mature. The strong stems are perfect for cutting. To 45cm

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Features:

• Colour: Ivory with variable pink blush
• Height: 45cm
• Flowering: April - May
• Planting Months: October - November
• Type: Double Early

Tulips are great in containers, where they shouldn't need to be dug up for winter, or else sunny, fertile and well drained borders.

Plant tulip bulbs at a depth equal to about three times their height. Space them 8cm apart, the equivalent of 50-60 per sq. metre. Make sure the pointy end of the bulb faces upwards.

If you want to keep plants for the following year, plant even more deeply, around 20cm and deadhead spent flowers.

Many varieties will stay in the ground and multiply happily as long as the drainage is good, but if you are in doubt, lift them when the foliage has withered, then dry them off in a dark, dry, cool place. Gently brush off the dry soil and inspect them: throw away diseased and damaged bulbs. Store the rest in a tray or net in the dark at a low room temperature.

Applying a high potash fertiliser during the growing season improves the flowering performance the next year. Lift and divide clumps of tulips if flowering is poor, which tends to happen naturally with most cultivars after several years, even with good care. Wild, species tulips are better at coming back year after year, but a lot depends on your location.