Transcript Tulips
By: Hanna Bowers There are now over 3,000 varieties A majority are grown and exported from Holland Available in almost every color of the rainbow Most popular spring flower Come in an incredible variety of colors, height, and flower shapes Tulips are edible, pesticidefree tulip petals on your salad or deserts Plant tulip bulbs in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected and when soils are below 60 degrees F. Tulips prefer a site with full or afternoon sun. All tulips dislike excessive moisture. Ideally, the soil is well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic, fertile, and dry or sandy. Plant bulbs deep—at least 8 inches, measuring from the base of the bulb. Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up. Cover with soil and press soil firmly. To deter mice place holly or any other thorny leaves in the planting holes. Some gardeners use kitty litter or crushed gravel. Sticky honeydew on tulip leaves and flowers indicates an aphid infestation. Appear as small soft-bodied insects that colonize on the underside of leaves or along the stems on the plant. Insects pierce the tulip and suck out the sap, which weakens the tulip and discolors the leaves. insecticidal soap applications or simply rinsing the aphids from the leaves with a strong spray of water. Weeding the bed regularly and thoroughly can also minimize aphid infestations. http://www.almanac.com/plant/tulips http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12fascinating-facts-about-tulips.html?page=2 http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/abo utflowers/exoticflowers/tulips http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/floriculture/hort429/lect ure/bulbs.pdf