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deweymn

Tulips

deweymn
17 years ago

Tulips in the Metro area.

My bed of second year tulips: Last wednesday I uncovered a small patch that was poking up. Today they are 3 in. tall with green leaves already. I uncoverd the rest of the 10' X 20' bed. All were sprouting the first yellowish shoots.

Is this earlier than normal for tulips? I know they and some other hardy plants will sprout once the sun can just start to heat the ground a little. But is this a sign of an early spring? I hope they can survive a snowstorm that has to be coming yet.

Comments (11)

  • Julie
    17 years ago

    I have noticed some of my later tulips poking up already as well-
    I have to get more fencing out to protect them from the bunnies pretty soon- or there will be no blooms for me! That is my biggest worry with them- they all seem to survive through the cooler weather yet to come- if they can hide from the bunnies that is....

  • hostaholic2 z 4, MN
    17 years ago

    Tulips and Daffs are pretty tough and will tolerate a lot more than you'd think in weather terms.

  • deweymn
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Can they tolerate 80 degrees on Mar 26th at 4:00pm.

    I can.....whoopeeeeeeee. Where's my shorts?

  • jennypat Zone 3b NW MN
    17 years ago

    80!!

    Goodness, it only got up to about 50 here today. But I did see my crocus's peaking through the soil. No blooms yet though.

    Jenny P

  • tedb_threecedarfarm
    17 years ago

    Most bulbs seem to with stand the vagaries of spring pretty well. I do remember a warm spring several years back that then dropped to 15 degrees after everything was well up. I lost most of my daffodils blooms that years. Since then I'm slower to uncover things in the spring.

    Ted

  • deweymn
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Well, Belinda just told us reality is back. On/off rain for the next three days across the southern half of our state. Highs barely 60 and lows around 50. So, now I have some sprouts of annuals and a few veggies poking up out of wet mud or is it muck. So I will put lids back on for another few days and/or keep them covered? I had some tomato, gourds, and squash out for a breath of fresh warm air and sunshine. Decided to harden them off on the porch in a south window for a few days and inbetween rains I can finish the cold frame I hope. It's tiring and I am only working with a dozen or so types under lights and maybe 8 trays winter sowing. How do you fanatics (pun) keep up?

  • deweymn
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Interesting from Kare 11's site:

    How warm is the ground?

    In nine places across the state the University of Minnesota measures soil temperatures at 4" under the top soil. They update those temperatures weekly.
    Here are the current ground temperatures taken this week.

    Soil Temperatures
    http://climate.umn.edu/cawap/soilpan/070318.txt

    Last Updated: 3/22/2007 9:48:33 PM

  • luvmydaisies
    17 years ago

    I was out on Sunday looking for tulips and there was none poking up yet, now today I have them popping up every where!!

  • deweymn
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Wonder why yours were so late. You are 30 mi south of me. Must be the cold prairie winds?

    My mother lived there before she died. Now, there are a lot of new homes springing up. Hope you can maintain that small town atmosphere. Mainstreet, angle parking, and pickup trucks.

  • belle_michele
    17 years ago

    I just noticed tulip leaves today--I've got to run to the store to get some rabbit repellant spray...maybe for a change I will actually see some flowers this spring instead of just chewed up leaves!

  • birdwing
    17 years ago

    Are they going to survive 3 nights of (way) below freezing? Did any of you
    cover anything? If so will you take the covers off during the day or leave them
    on for the next 3 (or 4) days?

    What about the little perennials poking up? oriental poppies, bleeding hearts?

    yikes!

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