Forcing Tulip Bulbs

(Click for Bahasa Melayu version)

Tulips in Malaysia; sounds like a dream come true, am I right? As a passionate gardener, I experimented this using the Tulip bulbs I bought from Italy during winter, and have proven that Tulips can actually grow in our warm and humid weather.

My common Tulips growing in Kuala Lumpur, 2013.

All I did was forcing the Tulip bulbs into thinking that Spring is coming. The bulbs that I bought was already hibernating for Winter, therefore, placing them inside the freezer before planting was not necessary. If you happen to purchase the bulbs off season, though, make sure they are tricked into thinking it's Winter, by keeping them inside the freezer (of 0° to 5° degrees) for 6 to 14 weeks (think of a really cold and dark place), and gradually move them into the fridge for 3 to 6 weeks. The longer their sleep, the better.

It took two weeks of 'babysitting' to see some shoots. For true gardeners, babysitting is not even a problem! Based on my experience, bulbs hate sitting in water, the same applies to Tulips. Since Malaysia is humid, therefore watering must be reduced. If the soil is too moist, it can attract mold growth too. Some suggested placing ice cubes on top of the soil, I think this is a bad idea because once the ice cubes melted, the soil will become too wet.

Room temperature is good enough, there is no need to place the pot inside the fridge. If you have air-conditioning on, that's even better. No matter what you do, DON'T place your Tulips outdoors in the direct sun. Choose a bright windowsill or any shaded and cool area in your garden. The sun in Malaysia could be too strong for Tulips, unless you're living in the eternal Spring of Cameron Highlands.

Bulbs of Parrot King Tulip

Another important thing is to follow the instructions that come together with your package of Tulip bulbs. Basically, the depth has to be 3 times the size of the bulb. Think of a deep flower pot. 

Tip: Read Care for Tulips for other methods of planting.

Common instructions for Tulip bulbs

Some packages may not provide them, and you could probably have bought bulbs without their original packages, so feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

---