How to grow tulips

Tulips are spring bulbs, planted in mid to late autumn. Tulips are technically perennial, but years of breeding to get the most beautiful blooms means that many varieties only flower reliably for one year. Many gardeners plant new bulbs each autumn to ensure a good display. If you're growing tulips in pots, you need to plant fresh bulbs each year.

Some tulips flower earlier than others – early flowering varieties bloom from late March to April, mid-season in April to May, and late-flowering ones bloom in May.

Plant tulip bulbs in moist but well-drained soil in a sunny spot in mid-to-late autumn – November is ideal. Plant at least three times the depth of the bulb, pointed end up, around 5cm apart. Tulips of all types do best in a sunny, sheltered spot, in well-drained soil. 

You can plant tulip bulbs from mid-October, but December is thought to be the optimum time as the colder conditions reduce the risk of fungal disease.

How to propagate tulips

To propagate tulips lift them with a hand fork once the foliage has turned yellow a month after flowering. Remove the foliage and pull or cut off the stem and remove the flaky outer coating from the bulb. Leave the bulbs to dry and then store in a paper bag.