Tips For Planting Mylar Tulips

Choosing Bulbs

• Bulbs generally appear in home-improvement stores, nurseries and garden centers in late August to early September. Despite the fact that the planting season has not started yet, go ahead and take advantage of the selection. Choose fat and firm mylar tulip bulbs. Avoid tulip bulbs that are missing their paper cover or show signs of mold.

Storage

• Planting tulips too early will cause them to go ahead and sprout. They will then be killed by winter weather. Store bulbs in paper bags in a cool place until the appropriate time to plant. Many gardeners actually use the produce crisper in the refrigerator as a bulb storage space. The only caution is to not place apples or other fruit in the drawer with the bulbs. Fruit gives off fumes that will kill the flower bulbs.

Choosing a Planting Location

• Mylar tulips require well-drained soil to prevent rotting, with sandy soils being ideal. Tulips require planting in locations that receive full sun. Soil should be tilled or loosened to a depth of approximately 1 foot. The addition of a 5-10-10 fertilizer will help provide nutrition for the growing bulbs. Adding too much nitrogen (the first number in the fertilizer) will result in beautiful leaves, but few flowers.

Planting

• Mylar tulip bulbs should be planted in late September to late October, depending on the USDA planting zone of the property. Plant each bulb at least three times as deep as the height of the bulb. For example, if the bulb is 2 inches tall, plant it 6 inches deep. The top of the bulb is the pointy side. Place it so that the top is pointing towards the sky when you put it in the hole. Tulip bulbs accidentally placed upside down usually come up, but they bloom later and are shorter. Water immediately after planting, then wait to water until just before they start blooming in the spring.