Tulips in the Deep South
Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 6:00AM 
American Village in Montevallo, Alabama, holds an annual Festival of Tulips, and this year I almost missed it. We arrived two days before the end of the festival, and many of the blooms were spent or already picked by visitors, who, for a fee, are allowed to pull bulbs to take home. Other blossoms had been decimated by a storm the previous weekend. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful day, and there were enough tulips left to appreciate. 
Many thousands of red, purple, yellow, pink and white tulips, including striped and ruffled varieties, are planted yearly in "You-pick-em" fields. I was happy to meet some of the families and groups of friends who spread across the fields with baskets to search for the perfect blooms.
Tulips don't flourish in the Deep South, and many people here choose to treat them as annuals, planting new, pre-chilled bulbs each fall. Otherwise, those in climates with mild winters like mine may encourage tulips to rebloom by lifting bulbs in early fall, putting them in a paper bag, then refrigerating them for two to three months before replanting in late fall or early winter. Tulips must have well-drained soil; they should never be planted in wet or irrigated areas. Plant in full sun, 4 - 6 inches deep. Remove the flowers after they fade, but don't cut the foliage. Tulip foliage should be allowed to yellow for 6 weeks so bulbs can store energy for next year's bulbs.
One thing I learned at the tulip festival is that tulips should not be put in the same vase with Narcissus. Flowers like Daffodils secrete a substance that causes the tulips to wilt.
I enjoyed my outing to the Festival of Tulips. I enjoyed the blooms, and I enjoyed watching other people who were enjoying them, too. Shared fun in a "You-pick-em" field makes those tulips extra special.
Reader Comments (14)
Sounds a wonderful idea! I have to grow tulips in pots as my soil is too heavy, but they are worth the effort as they are so beautiful.
I adore tulips but my attempts to grow them here as annuals have been frustrating at best. Even with pre-chilling and careful planting, our Santa Ana winds inevitably shrivel half or more of the buds before they bloom. Nonetheless, I fall prey to their charms at periodic intervals. I'm currently thinking that, next fall, I'll try species tulips again. They're not as flashy as the big beautiful flowers shown in your post but there's some chance of they're returning for at least a few years even here.
Thanks for sharing this festival. I've not heard of it. I love tulips but I don't grow them. As you said, they don't do well in the South. I'm a lazy gardener when it comes to fussy plants. Looks like you had a wonderful time!
Sounds like a delightful way to spend the day! I've always lived in areas that have enough natural winter chill for tulips and always have them in my garden. Some have even come back for several years in a row. It's hard to imagine the effort it takes to grow tulips in the deep south but the results are certainly beautiful!
Festival of tulips, I guess loads of people would appreciate that. Interesting point about tulips not tolerating the Daffs We treat Tulips as annuals, I often plant both in the same pot with no harmful effect. Myra had tulips and daffs in a vase last week, the tulips were drooping within a few days...
There's a park in Baltimore that does something similar.
Lovely spring images. At first I thought the first image was a painting.
Oh how fun! I've never seen a place like that where you could pick them! Tulips actually do pretty well up here, and the ones I've planted come back every year. Sadly, it's usually for naught, as the critters are quick to eat any flower buds!
I like tulips, but not terribly fond of having them in my own garden.
Here in Tennessee clay, they're unreliable perennials. If they do come back, sometimes it's foliage, no blooms. Although I did get at least one rebloom from one on a hillside this year - so that may help with drainage on heavy soil.
Still, I think I prefer hyacinths as early spring bulbs. The hyacinths have the bonus of fragrance and attract some pollinators! :)
Aaron
gorgeous flowers, a lot of trouble to grow but worth it. I love the first photo with the boy's yellow jumper echoing the yellow blooms. Didn't know that narcissus and tulips don't get on.
That looks like fun. I'm going to see the tulips in Holland next month, as you know I simply love tulips.
What fun! Yes, tulips aren’t reliably perennial even here, and I do treat them as annuals. But when we have mild winters, they will rebloom for me. In early May I’ll be going to the Tulip Time Festival in Holland Michigan, a tradition performed with my best friend every spring.
I just received a pot full of beautiful Doubles for Mother’s Day and I’m going to try the refrigerator method you wrote about. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge.
I have a hard time growing tulips in the South. By the time they are ready to bloom, it is too hot. I also wish I could grow lilacs, but again it's too warm during the winter months, they need the cold.