We know summer just started, but autumn will be here before you know it so it wouldn’t hurt to start thinking about next spring’s garden. Tulips are every gardener’s friend – bright and cheery, these colourful flowers are easy to maintain and work well anywhere, even in pots. There are over 3,000 different varieties of tulips making them both accessible and affordable!

HOW AND WHEN TO PLANT

Native to Central Asia and Turkey, the majority of tulips require full sun and should be planted in Australian autumn (late April-early May) for a spring of blooms from September to November. Seeing we don’t drop to such low temperatures, it’s recommended to store tulip bulbs in the fridge for a period of time before planting (instructions should be on the bulb pack), which can range from 4-8 weeks. Whether in a garden bed or pot, tulip bulbs should be planted with the flat base down directed to the ground in well draining soil in the sunlight.

HOW TO PRESERVE PERENNIALS

If you have perennial tulips, then you’ll need to know how to preserve them for the following year. Once tulips start to brown, it’s time to compost or preserve by following these steps…

1. Prune back brown flowers
2. Remove bulb from soil (unless you live in a frosty climate, you can leave it in the ground)
3. Wrap bulb in newspaper or brown paper bag
4. Store it in a crisp area of your fridge away from other produce