In Palo Alto, people called me “The Tulip Lady.” Now, in Glen Ellen, where I have my farm with daffodil-covered hillsides, they know me as the “Daffodil Lady.” Just as I started writing this article about tulips, I received an exciting call from a “Daffodil Man.” He digs, divides, and shares early settler’s daffodil bulbs from around Cloverdale, California. Next week, we will meet to walk through my daffodils and set a time to visit his. This upcoming visit will be the subject of my next post.

Tulips are Blooming:

When it comes to tulips, they bloom in a natural sequence, from the earliest varieties to the latest, which usually coincides with their height—shortest to tallest. This blooming order was fresh on my mind when I discovered my tallest tulip. It’s a single late variety called Blushing Beauty. Interestingly, it bloomed first alongside another tall tulip, Big Smile. This year, I planted my extra tulips late, at the end of January. To make the most of the space, I placed them between every other peony row. Additionally, I planted them on the west side of my property, beneath deciduous oaks, burying them about 2 inches deep.

Furthermore, you can extend the length of cut tulips by using part of the white stem at the base. The deeper you plant the tulips, the longer this white area will be. However, I prefer to plant my tulips more shallowly, allowing me to pull them out easily when I pick them. Removing the bulbs is essential since tulips don’t rebloom reliably after being cut, especially in warmer climates.

Pull them out!

As you inspect the bulbs closely, you’ll notice they start to divide and produce smaller bulbs. In Holland, to make the bulbs larger, growers often sacrifice one year’s bloom by cutting off the flower heads just as they begin to bloom. This strategy helps the bulbs grow larger. Once tulips bloom, the bulbs divide, making it harder for them to rebloom, especially in warm regions. Cold weather is critical for the bulbs to grow large enough to rebloom properly.

Because I want larger bulbs, I throw away the bulbs and tear off the lower leaves from the stem.

Finally, they are ready to showcase in a vase. These Blushing Beauty and Rainbow Warrier tulips are very tall. They could stand to be shortened or placed in a larger vase. I didn’t plant my earliest blooming tulip, Apricot Beauty, as it was sold out.