missed growing tulips this yr.Please answer the following questions?

Question

I want to buy my tulips online for next year.
1) when should I order them(which month).
2)when should i refigerate them (from what month to what month).
3)when do i plant them in the ground?.
4) when will they flower.

Iam in southern CAlifornia

Answer 1

I live in Northern California (SF Bay area) and I usually plant tulips in late October or early November -- just before the rains begin. Because it does not freeze in your area, you will need to refrigerate your tulips for 4 to six weeks (be sure that you do not have apples in the same refrigerator) before you plant. You could plant them later (December) but you should only plant them earlier if the temps have dropped and the ground has cooled off.

Most mail order bulb suppliers CLAIM that they will send you the bulbs at the appropriate time for planting in your area (so it doesn't matter which month you actually order them!). You can always buy your tulips locally if you are concerned.

Depending on how warm/cool the winter is and how much rain we get, you should have tulips in February.

One thing to keep in mind about tulips in the low lands of California: you need to treat them as an annual. Because it does not get really cold (freeze), they will not come back a second year. :((

Here are two suggestions: 1) Buy some spectacular tulips and plant them in pots. Put them somewhere where you will see them every day -- front porch, deck, etc. (This will take care of your tulips "fix"). 2) Buy some bulbs that do not require cold and will come back every year (Narcissus, Daffodils, etc.) and use these for your MASS plantings.

Good Luck!!

Answer 2

You can order tulips anytime but the companies won't ship them until maybe August. You only need to refrigerate them if you are "forcing" them, that is planting them in pots indoors.

You plant from August till October generally.

They flower in March and April, depending on where you live. The farther north, the later they bloom.

Answer 3

Just buy them in the fall like around October or so. Plant them then and they'll come up in the spring. You won't need to refrigerate or store them. You only need to refrigerate them if you are going to plant them in pots. If you are going to do that, just throw them in the fridge for about a week then plant them. You can start planting bulbs in the spring pretty early, about March or so.