Fun experiment of the TulipMan!
[Update February 15th, mission failed....} My goal of this experiment is to grow cut tulips in my back yard with Valentines Day!
Ingredients:
-500 early blooming tulips, 7 weeks chilled at 45 degrees
-Raised bed (8 by 3) facing the south made out of old barn board.
-Organic soil of the farm. Half compost, half topsoil.
-2 straw bales
-Thin plastic (9 by 5), for sunny days
-Thick plastic (9 by 5) for cold nights
-Duct tape!
Update February 15th, mission failed....
It has been a crazy winter in Virginia, I can't foul the tulips with 2 snow storms of more then 25inch! The first storm in December wasn't a big deal, but the second in February did make it impossible to have blooming tulips with Valentine without greenhouse.
In November I assembled a raised bed beside my house, facing the South. December 3rd I planted pre-cooled bulbs (chilled 7 weeks). After planting I applied 8 inch of straw as insulation for the cold weather. The weather in December wasn't ideal; wet, almost 2 feet snow and cold! As soon the snow disappeared in January I removed the 8" layer of hay and made a cold frame from plastic and duct tape...
It is now January 29th, and the tulips start to grow.. I am not sure yet if they will really bloom with Valentine Day... But I have some faith!
The big secret why the tulips are already growing, is my DRYER! I use the heat of the outlet of my dryer to warm up the cold frame. Off course is doesn’t stay warm all day with this method, but on cold sunny days it can stay easily 60 degrees under the plastic. On sunny days I use only 1 layer of plastic. When it gets in the 20's during the night I use an other layer of plastic.
Only 16 days to go... Tulips can grow fast, greenhouse tulips which are available in the Supermarket/Florist grow in only 3 to 4 weeks from bulb to flower!
Tags
Tulips, cut-flower
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