Tulips in Houston

I've just received info on a new co-op from Bert Bleek at Eflowergarden.com and they have some gorgeous tulip bulbs I'm considering trying. Do any of you plant tulips in Houston? I know they are a one shot flower here and won't come back next year, but I'm still tempted. I don't know if they have to be refrigerated and for how long or when to plant them. Anyone on here have any experience with tulips?

Crow

Crow,

I haven't planted tulips since I lived in Ohio, but you are correct in that most if not all tulips won't get enough "chill" hours in most of Texas unless they are refrigerated. Each species or hybrid has its own cold requirements. If you do decide to try it, you should be able to find how long the tulips you purchased need to be refrigerated on the web.

Crow,
I know I'm a few hours north of you but my tulips come back every year.

I grow species tulips here in the desert. I get them from here http://shop.ebay.com/rarebulbs/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25
Aaron does not have any listed now but e-mail him. he is really good about answering questions and can let you know when they will be available. I think he usually has them in September.

Crow, I've put tulips in every fall for the last 5 or 6 years. I have always chilled 10-12 weeks before planting. They do not come back-I treat them as annuals. I have planted the "texas Tulips" from southern bulbs twice and still not had good
results. The "dutch" bulbs are relatively inexpensive and worth the small amount of time and expense for that burst of color!!!
Jan

Tulips are widely used in landscaping here in the Tyler Texas area each Spring..(100 miles S of Dallas) with good results. We are also told to chill in the fridge for so long before planting.

Thanks all. I've ordered a bunch of bulbs and I'll see how they do. I lived in Noordwiijk in the Netherlands for a couple of years, right in the middle of the bulb fields. I drove past them every morning going to work. It was always amazing once the tulips bloomed to go in one morning and see a solid patchwork quilt of colors and come home that afternoon and see piles of petals where they'd whacked all the blooms off in order for the bulb to start storing up before harvesting the bulbs. The 2 1/2 years I lived there were some of the best of my life because that's where I met my DH.

Crow

Awww ;)

Awww, that's so sweet.

I can't grow tulips either. The times I've planted them, I've had one or two return the following year, and they are never pretty the second year. But I still say that you never know until you try. I have hyacinths that have returned for three years. They are gorgeous and smell heavenly, and dh just adores them. Recently someone told me, "You can't grow hyacinths here." I'm glad nobody told me that before, or I might not have ordered them. And, who knows, maybe they won't return next year. But, for the time I've had them, they've been way worth their cost.

I've ordered about 100 tulip bulbs plus some hyacinth and daffs. Hopefully some of them will return, but they're cheap enough so if they don't, I'll at least have one spectacular spring bed from them.

Thanks for all the input.

Crow