I don't interplant after trying it once. THe tulip foliage shaded out the seedlings, and then, what else likes it dry in summer and wet in winter? Also, I have found that while they are blooming it is much more important to leave plenty of air circulation around them so they do not get fungal spots on them. Just layer in your bulbs with alliums for June bloom. I have thought of glads but they like summer water which is not good for the tulips. Maybe if you grow the tulips in crates and set them aside in a dry space for summer? This year I am trying more tulips in crates to force for early bloom and also lilies in crates. I only have two banks of lights and shelves so that is all I can try now, but each year has been a successful experiment so far!

I have double orange viking tulips pushing up through the dirt now! They may arrive before Valentines Day but that is fine too because we have several winter customers this year.

THe amaryillis have been wonderful cut flowers for us! Tomorrow for church it is pink pussy willows and red dogwood with pink amaryllis and autunnalis cherries. Next week I should pick some japanese quince to start forcing. Wouldn't they be wonderful with black pussy willows?

Can't wait to try every other color of amaryllis we can find next winter! We are also planning to put a lot of care and feeding into the bulbs so they will repeat and divide for us!

Lizalily,
Thanks for your input. I've had spots on the tulips before so I certainly don't want to cause a problem like that. I was thinking of something low like allisym, (?) that would be a ground cover, shade out the weeds, grow low, and re-seed itelf.
I like the crate idea, but have no crates. Do you have a heated greenhouse, and where do you grow your amaryllis? They sound like a wonderful cut for winter. I'm not so sure I could do the same in my zone.
Cheryl

I think in my garden the allysum would dry up over the summer. I noticed some of the growers use straw mulch over their bulbs. Straw is about $10 a bale here so I only use it to protect the roots of things like dahlias and roses when there is a spell of hard freeze (like right now).

As to the Amarylis, I have an 11 by 7.5 food space at the back of our garage that I have closed off and insulated, with windows on the two exterior walls. That is where I start my seedlings in spring and force bulbs. Normally I can let it go with just the passive solar heating and the heat from the grow lights, but for the amaryllis I bought a little electric heater for under $20. It keeps the room at about 75 degrees in the daytime and not too much cooler at night (I leave the lights on all winter to keep it warmer). That has been enough for the amaryllis to thrive!
Once they open their blooms we cut them and put them out where it is refrigerator temps in the rest of the garage, or you can put them in a seperate refrigerator if you have one. THey will keep about 3 weeks in a bouquet and keep opening new buds if there are more. Look for different bloom time, use different types of amaryllis, or start them on a staggered scedule. I used 7 different viarieties all started at once and they have come along nicely, with no more then I needed. I am finally getting to use an occasional last bloom off them for myself to enjoy! Scarlet baby is on my desk this morning. It is a wonderful one!

My friend started hers in mid October and I waited until 2 weeks later to start mine. It has worked out perfectly! She planted mostly red and white for Christmas and I planted mostly other colors for after CHristmas. I should just make it until my forced tulips kick in.

My crates came with my colorblends bulbs. Each year I get 6 new ones so am up to twelve crates which are all planted with everything from tulips to anemonies to lilies. The tulips have worked so well for us that we are trying some other things that will fit into our tiny starting rooms....and yes, I am thinking about a bigger garden workroom with more lights! My goal is to have one nice bouquet left over on Valentines day so we know that we are up to capacity, LOL.

Gotta go up this afternoon and put an ad into our local paper's Bridal Issue they do for Valentines Day. We are trying the "second from the bottom size" ad this year, up one size! We know it has gotten us several weddings so even through it seems like a lot of money it has paid us back and we would like more wedding work to do.