January can be a very dull month as there is not much growing outdoors, but there is an easy way to add a bit of colour to your garden by planting tulips. Many people believe you cannot grow anything in the middle of winter, but Monty Don, known for hosting BBC’s Gardeners’ World, has shared that tulips can survive in the cold as they are quite hardy flowers.
On his website, Monty said: “It is not too late to plant tulips – but you really do need to get on with it. Tulips planted now might flower a little later than those planted in November, but they will make a perfectly good display.” However, Tulips need some time in lower temperatures to grow properly, which is why autumn is the best time to plant them, but they can still be planted up until mid-January for a brilliant April display. Make sure to sow them as soon as possible.
How do you plant tulips so they survive in winter
Sowing tulips is a very simple gardening task that should only take around minutes, but the first thing you need to do is find a dry area in your garden that is not frozen.
Tulips can survive in the cold, but they do not like waterlogged soil, and if there is frost nearby, the excess moisture can lead to the bulbs rotting.
Tulips can be at risk of a fungal disease called tulip fire, which thrives in damp conditions, but the spores struggle to survive in cold, so planting in well-draining, dry soil helps reduce the risk.
These flowers also like being exposed to the sun, so it is best to place them somewhere open in your garden without any shade that can block light.
Then, you just have to plant the bulb pointy side up and make sure it is placed deeply into the soil, as it will help protect them from animals like cats that love to dig up flowers.
Monty said: “If intending to leave them in the ground plant as deeply as you can – at least 4 inches. But if you just want a good show this year, they can be popped an inch or two in the topsoil and will be fine for this spring.”
Planting deep into the soil will also encourage tulips to grow much stronger roots, which means they can store more energy, so you will get bigger and more vibrant flowers in spring.
However, if you want tulips as soon as possible, then you can also grow them indoors, just keep them in a dark and cool place in your home until the roots develop.
Monty said: “When planting in a container, make sure that they have good drainage because although they are completely hardy to cold, the biggest enemy is rotting in damp soil. But this is a job to do by the middle of the month at the very latest.”
Then, after a few weeks, place them next to a sunny window, and they should flower in eight to 12 weeks, so you can enjoy these pretty spring flowers even if it is still dark and dreary outside.
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