
Tulips are among the most beautiful and decorative flowers that we can find during this period. However, since they are not always available, there is a technique to “trick” them into blooming even out of season . This is achieved thanks to water, which allows us to make tulips bloom without having to use soil.
If you also want to grow tulips in water , and thus avoid having to deal with soil, keep reading this article to learn how to do it: it is very simple.
One of the main things to keep in mind before growing tulips in water is choosing the right bulbs. Tulip bulbs can be stored from one year to the next and therefore always have them available.
There are a wide variety of tulips and not all of them can be grown in water. Choose large bulbs to increase their chances of flowering. Doing so, rather than preferring one variety over another, will be enough to ensure you have large, healthy and vigorous bulbs.
How to store tulip bulbs
Tulips bloom in spring . This means that the bulbs are “programmed” to bloom shortly after a cold snap. By recreating winter conditions, you can make tulips bloom early. Many of the bulbs on the market are already treated with this cold treatment, so it is a step that we can skip.
However, if this is not the case, it is advisable to put the tulip bulbs in the refrigerator for approximately a week, at a temperature between 1 and 10 degrees. A lower temperature would freeze the bulbs, a higher one would make our method useless.
It is also important to place the bulbs in a glass container without a lid, to prevent them from coming into contact with food or drinks.
How to plant tulips in water
Once you have obtained the right bulbs, get a preferably glass and jar-like container.
In the container we will put a base of stones or marbles, to be able to put water and not let it come into contact with the bulbs.
This aspect is very important: direct contact between the bulbs and water would cause them to rot. The water and the bulbs should be very close, but not touching.
Fill the container with water to a couple of fingers below the stones, then place the bulbs on top of them.
The evaporation of water will allow the bulbs to form their first roots. Add new water as the water in the jug evaporates.
The roots of the bulbs will appear after the first few days and extend towards the water. The bulbs will slowly develop into adult tulips, which will bloom after about 3 months .