Companion FlowersLiliaceae
Tulips.
Cool seasonFall plantedDeer favorite
At a glance
The spec sheet.
- Direct sow / out
- Oct 15 – Nov 15
- Germ
- Bulbs (fall-planted)
- Days to harvest
- Bloom following spring (Apr–May)
- Spacing
- 4–6"
- Depth
- 6–8" deep
- Square-foot
- 9 per square
- Qty target
- 50+ bulbs for a solid spring display.
Plant
Plant bulbs pointed-end up in October or November. Colder = better. Group in clusters of 12+ for impact.
Care
Leave foliage 6 weeks after bloom to recharge the bulb. Tulips often decline after year 2–3; treat as annuals in Zone 6b.
Harvest
Cut when bud shows color but hasn't opened. Slit stem base for cool-water pickup. Tulips continue growing in the vase.
Bulbs stay in ground (or dig and replant in fall).
Companion planting
What tulips likes, and doesn’t.
Good neighbors
- Grape hyacinth (bloom together)
- Alliums (mask fading foliage)
- Nothing significant
Deer and rodents love tulip bulbs. Plant with garlic or daffodils as a deterrent, or use bulb cages.
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