Tulip belongs to the subfamily of approximately a hundred various species of bulbous herbs. It is derived from the family of Liliaceae which is also known as Lily. The plant Tulipa is very popular among garden flowers as it makes them look attractive. This is because the flowers of this plant are brightly colored, showy, and usually large. They come in warm colors such as pink, white, yellow, or generally red. These are also more likely to start flowering in spring as compared to summer. Internally, they have a different color of blotch at the base of petals.
This is due to the variability within its population which includes a large history of classification and cultivation. They’re mostly grown in mountainous areas and places that have temperate climates. Tulips were originally found in Central Asia to Southern Europe. However, since the seventeenth century, they are widely cultivated and naturalized. With that being said, people growing the plant often ask, “Will tulip bulbs keep if not planted?”. If you have the same question in mind, then going through this article should help you in getting an answer.
Will Tulip Bulbs Keep If Not Planted?
Tulip bulbs can usually be stored inside your home for long durations before needing to be planted. Hence, if you were simply wondering if the bulbs can survive if you don’t plant them then the answer is “yes”. Though, there are some additional things that you need to understand. The better you keep your bulbs stored, the longer they can last you. If kept properly then tulip bulbs can easily last people about 12 months or more. This is quite a lot of time as most people will start planting the bulbs once winter starts to end. Some methods can be used to confirm if the bulbs being stored are good.
If you are simply purchasing bulbs from a company, then you will notice that these are marked. This helps in distinguishing how old the bulbs are and what their condition is. One important factor that you need to be aware of is that the quality of these bulbs decreases over time. The longer you keep them outside soil, the worse their condition will get. This is why you should plant your tulip bulbs as soon as possible as there is no point in keeping them stored.
Another way that you can check the condition of your tulip bulbs is by slightly pressing them. A healthy bulb should always be plump and firm. If you notice that it is too dry or withered, then there is a high chance that it is going bad. Squeezing the bulb can also help out people if it starts to crack then it has most likely gone bad. On the other hand, if you notice that these are squishy then this indicates that the bulbs have rot inside them. The only thing that you can do with these bulbs is tossing them away.
Storing Tulip Bulbs
Now that you understand all this, people might wonder how they can store their tulip bulbs. The first thing that you should always do is keep your bulbs outside for a week under sunlight. The heat from the sun helps in ensuring that all the moisture from the bulbs is removed. If you start storing them as they are then there is a high chance that the seedlings will try to hatch. When they notice that they are not getting enough nutrients then the bulb will start dying.
To prevent this, you should dry off the bulbs instead. Once done, you can then place them over a dry material and then ensure that the bulbs are placed apart from each other. Now find a box that is dry and has no light around it. You can now store the bulbs inside this box and ensure that they stay at a cold temperature. Tulips can usually start growing even if they don’t have any soil around them which is why ensuring that the bulbs get no nutrients is important.
As long as the factors provided above are taken care of, people can keep their tulip bulbs even if they had not planted them.