Den älskade och bortkastade tulpanen: En studie i faktorer och skötselinsatser för tulpanlökens återblomning i svenska trädgårdar

Abstract

Tulip bulbs are often said to reflower poorly and are therefore being discarded after flowering. Since I have seen tulips reflower during several years in the same location, I wanted to investigate what this assertion is based upon. The purpose of the study is to gather knowledge of factors that are vital for the tulips survival and reflowering in Swedish gardens and to investigate the care of the tulip bulb in parks and gardens within the horticulture industry. The study is based on literature, a survey questionnaire and interviews. The majority of the survey participants confirm that they discard the tulip bulbs after flowering. Only a few from the survey re-uses the bulbs and they were interviewed to compare their maintenance of the tulip with the recommended maintenance shown in the literature study.The literature shows several factors being vital for the tulip’s survival and reflowering. The bulb propagates with bulblets and a warm, well-drained and nutritious soil is important for the bulb’s survival. Vital is also a drought period during the summer. Since rain is common during Swedish summers, special care can be done after wilting by collecting the bulbs and placing them to dry under roof until planting in autumn. The study shows the assertion of the tulips poor reflowering being partly true. Circumstances like maintenance does not guarantee reflowering. The choice of tulip species and cultivars are just as important since their ability to propagate and survive differs. Pom, The Programme for Diversity of Cultivated Plants, has in 2006 collected over 160 different tulips which were grown or planted before the year 1940. This is important information for my study because it shows the tulips ability to flower and survive over time.