These eye-catching beauties inspired many 17th century Dutch painters and will add artistic flair to your spring garden. Modern Rembrandt Tulips are improved, healthy and hardy hybrids that are prized for their unique coloration. Each brightly colored bloom is highlighted with beautiful flames - no two are alike. Each year, in mid to late-spring, they'll burst into bloom on sturdy 24" stems. Don't miss your chance to paint your garden this spring. Today, we can still fall under the spell of these majestic tulips, because few other tulip cultivars display such bold flames of color without indication of a virus. You're sure to enjoy this outstanding tulip!
Rembrandt Tulips: Developed around 1610. A bold contrasting streak of color is the most notable characteristic of this class. Tall stems hold mid-size flowers with feathering of contrasting colors, and blooms are often the focal point in paintings. They make excellent cut flowers. These are like the famous mottled or "broken"-color tulips that launched a frenzy of trading, culminating in the near collapse of the Dutch economy in 1637. The era became known as "Tulipmania." The tulips were called "Rembrandts," stemming from the abundance of tulips infamous Dutch Master paintings in this era, which was known as the Golden Age of Dutch Painting. Curiously, tulips were not a prominent theme in Rembrandt's own work. These originally broken varieties are the predecessors of contemporary Rembrandt tulips. Tulips look best in mass plantings. They make good container plants and are delightful cut flowers.
Where to Plant Your Tulip Bulbs:
Tulips perform best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. Tulips dislike wetness and require well-drained soil.They grow in most soils but if the soil is very dry, plant the bulbs a day after it has rained.
How to Plant Your Tulip Bulbs:
Prepare the site by removing any weeds or stones and use a fork or trowel to loosen and aerate the soil. Use a trowel to dig a hole large enough to fit all of the bulbs that you are planting. For large quantities, you may also dig a large bed. The depth of the hole should be twice the length of the bulb itself. Make sure the pointed end of the bulb is up in the ground.
In warmer climates plant bulbs deeper than 10 inches; the deeper you plant a tulip, the tougher it will be. Tulips planted deeper have thicker stems and fall over less often.
When planting tulips, it is nice to place them close to one another to avoid having them standing by themselves in the spring. This is one flower that always looks better in groups. You can place bulbs as close as six inches away from each other in the ground.
A great tip is to alternate rows of early, mid and late blooming tulips so you may enjoy tulips throughout the entire season!
Tulip as perennial:
Strictly speaking, tulip bulbs cannot be guaranteed to flower for more than one season. Tulips hail from the rugged and windy mountains of Central Asia and need conditions that are not usually found in American gardens. However, to encourage your tulips to bloom for several years in a row, we recommend that you do the following:
⢠Plant your bulbs deep (8-10 inches). Deep planting helps to prevent the bulb from splitting up into many small, non-flowering bulbs.
⢠Fertilize the bulbs when the foliage pushes through the soil in spring. We recommend a general low-nitrogen organic fertilizer.
⢠Remove spent flowers as soon as the bulbs finish blooming. Snapping off the top of the flower stem encourages the plant to send energy into bulb growth rather than seed production.
⢠Allow the foliage to wither completely before you remove it.
⢠Avoid summer irrigation. Tulips prefer to be dry during their dormancy.
Almost all Darwin Hybrid Tulips have proven to be good perennial so they would be your best bet if you are looking for years of colorful blooms.
