I’ve been wanting to grow tulips for years but I never thought they would do good here in Florida. Well, I finally broke down and bought some bulbs and decided to give them a try. I’m sharing what I have done to Grow and Care for Tulips in my garden.
The botanical name for Tulips is Tulipa spp. When you see these beauties pop up, that’s a sign that Spring has sprung. Living in the United States, Spring hits at different times, depending on where you live. March 20, 2025 is officially the calendar date for when Spring comes this year. But, if you live in Maine or Montana, you might still be receiving snow in March. Spring usually comes a little earlier here in the South due to our warmer climate.
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What Zones Can You Grow Tulips?
Tulips love and thrive in colder weather. Hence, why they grow in the Spring. Most of the country is just warming up in March but honestly, it’s still a little chilly. The best zones to grow and care for tulips are 3-8. You can grow them in zones 9-10, as I have. It took a little extra work, but I’m excited that I made it happen. They are so pretty to look at in my garden. This Fall, I have a new problem. Now I want to plant double or triple the bulbs haha.
When Do You Plant Tulips?
- Zones 3-8 – Plant your tulip bulbs in the Fall. Preferably, 6-8 weeks before your first frost. They will start blooming from early to late Spring, depending on the variety of tulip you planted. There are several varieties that you can grow. I’ll be going over some varieties that I planted below.
- Zones 9-10 – Our climate in these zones is hot and humid. You’ll need to take a few extra steps. These actions ensured my tulips blossomed. I pre-chilled my tulip bulbs for a good 12 weeks in my refrigerator. I have two small raised beds that I planted on December 14, 2024. I mixed them with my garlic cloves. The next bed is a 4×8 raised garden bed and I planted those on January 4, 2025. Those started popping up early part of February so they only took roughly 30 days to maturity. I really think that is due to the colder weather we were having in January.
- No matter what zone you live in, the idea soil temperature is 40-50 degrees.
When to Harvest Tulips?
For the most part, tulips take 80-95 day until maturity. That is if you are in zones 3-8. Zones 7 & 8 may take shorter days. I’m in zone 9 and as I said above, I planted my first set of bulbs on December 14th. My first tulip started blooming on February 1, 2025. That’s only 49 days until maturity here in the South.
I knew when I thought about planting tulip bulbs that I couldn’t plant them in October or November. It’s not that cold here those months. I chose December because I knew we normally get freezes here in January. Look at when you typically get freezes and plant your tulip bulbs 6-8 weeks before the ground freezes.
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Annual or Perennial
There’s controversy whether tulips can be a perennial or not. Squirrels and rodents love the bulbs so that has to be taken into consideration. You can try to see if the bulbs will remain where you planted them in the Fall. Another option is to cover the bulbs with a cloth netting. I’m going to do this with mine over the Summer and see what happens. Worst case is, I have to buy more bulbs in the Fall.
If you do want to save your bulbs and see if they will grow again, cut the leaves back. Trim them until you have maybe 1-2 inches left. After, that, cover them with the cloth netting. This will at least deter any critters coming in and eating the bulbs. Unfortunately, deadheading (where you cut off dead flowers) the tulip after it’s already blossomed does not promote further blooming.
If you live in the colder states, it’s very likely that your tulips will come back the following year. They love the cold. Due to hybridization, they may only be one hit wonders though. It’s a try and see kind of flower. I’m excited to see what mine do later this year.
Grow and Care for Tulips
- Once you receive your bulbs, sort them out based on color. Unless, you are wanting to mix and match colors.
- Prepare your space where you plan on planting your tulip bulbs. I’ve seen them around the base of trees, as well, as in the garden. So pretty!
- Inspect each bulb and make sure there are none that are moldy or discolored. These will not grow so unfortunately, you’ll need to discard them.
- Get your space ready with good quality soil and fertilizer.
- Taking the round part of the bulb, place it 4-6 inches in the soil. The pointy side should be facing up.
- Cover the bulbs and continue planting, going 3-6 inches in between each bulb. I think I’m going to go 3-4 inches this year.
- Water them graciously. Tulips don’t require a lot of water, so just once a week will be fine. Took much water will cause the bulbs to rot.
- Plant extra for cutting and display them in your home. You could even take a sweet bouquet to a friend.
Tips for Growing Tulips
- Tulips prefer sunny to part-shade in well-drained soil.
- When you first plant the bulbs, make sure and give them a good watering. They really don’t require a lot of water while they are laying dormant. The cold weather in the winter is what will ignite them in the Spring to pop up.
- Once you see leaves pop up – Refrain from watering your tulips if it’s raining during the week. You can just check to see if they get dry. Otherwise, water your bulbs about once a week. As they finish growing, you’ll be able to tell if they need watered 1-2 times a week.
Where to Buy Tulip Bulbs
My favorite place to buy my seeds and bulbs is True Leaf Market. You can receive 10% off your order (no code is needed). I just love their packaging! Even though it’s so pretty, the seeds are equally as great. I grow year after year with their seeds. They carry more than just seeds as well.
I also enjoy buying bulbs through Epic Gardening. They are more than just a seed store. This is where I bought all my new metal raised beds. I love this company too. Great products! By clicking below, you will receive a little discount (no code needed).
What Varieties I Bought
Here are the tulips that I planted:
Apeldoorn’s Elite Darwin Hybrid Tulip Flower Bulbs – displays bright red blooms with yellow edges.
Ivory Floradale/Hakuun Tulip Flower Bulbs – Attracts pollinators. Displays cream-colored blooms in the mid to late spring. Recommended for growing in beds and containers. In the landscape, Ivory Floradale Tulips are great for use as a cut flower, border, or bedding plant.
Mixed Darwin Hybrid Tulip Flower Bulbs – Grazing tolerant. Attracts pollinators. Displays pink, red, purple, yellow, and multicolored blooms in the mid to late spring. Recommended for growing in beds and containers.
Cutting and Arranging
Make sure you plant extra for cutting. I could see these in a pretty vase or pitcher in the kitchen. You’ll cut them before the petals open (like I’m showing below). Place them in a vessel with clean water. They should last about 1 week. Change the water every few days and keep them out of the direct sun. I didn’t plant extra because I wanted to make sure they would grow first haha. Didn’t want to spend a lot of money on bulbs and they not grow, you know what I mean? I’m definitely already planning ideas for them next year. I want to put them in pots and maybe around some trees in the front yard. They grow anywhere between 8-25 inches tall, making them perfect for displaying on your kitchen table.
Do You Have to Fertilize Tulips?
Yes, and No. If you live up north and want to keep your tulips as perennials, use a good quality fertilizer. If you are in a warmer climate (also zone 9-10), it’s not necessary. The bulbs might not even make it until the next growing season.
I personally used my favorite fertilizer that I use for all of my vegetables and my tulips are growing great. We shall see if the bulbs are good in November to see if it was all worth it. Either way, I think the fertilizer did contribute to the growth of my tulips. It’s an All purpose Lawn and Plant Fertilizer. High performance, environmentally friendly, slow nitrogen release, plant food. 100% natural organic fertilizer. 100% organic ~ safe for kids and pets.
Test Your Soil
Last but not least, make sure you test your soil. This kit I bought is ran by an independent company and not the government. They send a detailed analysis of what is going on in your soil. They even make recommendations, if necessary. Redmond Agriculture uses regenerative ag resources and is a trusted source by farmers from all over. I love using the entire line of Redmond products. When you click HERE, go to the top where it says “Collections”. Click on Agriculture and you’ll see the soil kit.
I hope this has inspired you to grown tulips in your garden or somewhere around your home. It can be done, even here in the South. When the rest of the country is enjoying them in March-April, we’ll be enjoying them in February. I’m perfectly ok with that. Tag me on Instagram in your story if you end up planting them. I’d love to see how pretty yours are too!
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