How to Plant Tulips like a Flower Farmer

Tulip bulbs are expensive, and you are not guaranteed to profit from them, especially if you’re in your first year of flower farming. Farmer florists are also often dismayed to discover that tulips are not perennials when grown as cut flowers. All that being said, tulips are desirable for those wanting early-season sales!

Because tulips are super finicky flowers, knowing what you’re doing is essential if you want to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog post, I share my tips for growing tulips as a flower farmer, so you have the best chance of success!

PLANTING TULIPS FOR LANDSCAPES VS. PLANTING TULIPS AS A FLOWER FARMER

When landscaping with tulips, you’ll want to plant them relatively spaced apart in clumps so they grow in a more visually natural way. However, if you’re growing tulips for cut flowers, you’ll want to plant the bulbs as close as possible in rows without having them touch. Some cut flower growers refer to this as “egg carton” spacing.

For flower farmers, tulips act like annuals because we harvest the tulips completely–bulbs and all. This is to ensure better stem length for arranging. If you don’t cut your tulips, however, they are regarded as perennials. This works well for those landscaping with tulips, as they will return year after year.

Whether planting tulips as a flower farmer or for a landscape, you’ll need to plant your bulbs in the fall to ensure spring blooms!

STEPS FOR PLANTING TULIPS FOR CUT FLOWERS

Order bulbs up to a year in advance from a wholesaler
Plant anywhere from mid-September to early November (as long as the ground hasn’t frozen yet)
Plant pointy side up with egg carton spacing–as close as possible without touching
Cover with soil
Start watering in the spring once the snow has melted and the ground is dry (unless you live somewhere that is rainy)

OPTIONAL: Line the bottom of the bed with metal mesh or chicken wire to keep rodents out.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM FLOWER FARMERS GROWING TULIPS

1. Can you plant tulips in raised beds?

In warmer climates, yes, and it’s actually standard practice. However, it doesn’t work well in Zone 3. You will kill all your bulbs, even if you cover them with leaves for insulation!

2. How can you get good stem length?

The reason flower farmers pull out the bulb when we harvest is to ensure good stem length, but there is another factor. I’ve personally had the most success getting long stems by planting my tulips in an area that gets shade for some of the day. You’ll also need to stay on top of watering. The best practice is to water every 2-3 days if it’s not raining or there’s no moisture in the soil.

If you liked this blog post, find me on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to follow more of my farmer florist journey and join in the cut flower conversation! I also make weekly videos over on my YouTube channel. You can also sign up for bouquet-making events and buy my flowers at my sister-site Shifting Blooms. I hope to see you there!

P.S. If you love the content I create for Shifting Roots, consider joining our community on Patreon. Your support means the world to me and I am grateful for each and every one of you!

Ready to grow like a flower farmer?

To be a flower farmer, you need to be 3 people: The Grower, The Artist, and The Marketer. The Grower Bundle will teach you the basics of growing cut flowers, with helpful videos and highly visual ebooks.

Avoid trays of killed plants and wasted time, and learn to grow beautiful cut flowers with the The Grower Bundle. Suitable for home gardeners and future flower farmers alike.