Tulip is a perennial plant of the family Liliaceae and the genus bulbous, which is grown not only by flower growers in open ground on private courtyards, but also by specialists on an industrial scale for forcing and cutting. Among the variety of colors and shapes, the Strong Gold tulip variety stands out.

Grade description

Strong Gold was bred in the Netherlands in 1989 by breeding and belongs to the Triumph (Triumphal Tulips) class.

Did you know? Tulip petals can be eaten, replacing onions in dishes.

The name “Hard Gold” was given to the variety due to the strength of flower stalks and their strength. The upright stems of the flower can reach a height of 45-50 cm and hold large buds in the form of an elongated glass (up to 10 cm) of a saturated yellow color. Sometimes distinctive greenish strokes pass through the petals and a purple tint appears. Gray-green leaf plates have wavy edges. Oily yellow flowers contrast spectacularly with bright green foliage.

In the description of the “golden” tulip, the neatest look is always distinguished first. The bud keeps its shape for a long time, never opening completely. In cut, the flower retains freshness for up to two weeks.

Growing Features

This variety tolerates spring frosts and blooms mid-early. Under the condition of a warm spring, flowering begins in May or even at the end of April and lasts more than 2 weeks.

The soil on which it is planned to grow Strong Gold must meet a number of requirements:

• well fertilized with humus;
• neutral, slightly acidic or alkaline;
• moderately hydrated.

Preference should be given to the most sunny area, protected from the wind. Tulips do not tolerate stagnation of water, however, when natural moisture is not enough, they require regular watering.

Landing rules

Bulbs are planted in the fall. The optimal time is from mid-September to mid-October, when the soil temperature approaches the desired + 10 ° С. It takes 3-4 weeks to root.

Important! Bulbs wintering in the ground should be covered with a layer of mulch: bark or peat.

Too late planting will not allow the roots to gain a foothold, which will adversely affect flowering. If the plant is planted too early, it can sprout and die at the first frost. Small bulbs are buried in the soil by 6-10 cm, but large ones are up to 15 cm.

The subtleties of care

When growing tulips, you should adhere to certain rules:

1. During the period of intensive growth, it is recommended to fertilize the soil 2-3 times.
2. Cutting off a flower from a plant, leave at least two leaves.
3. It is necessary to carefully treat the soil in the immediate vicinity of the flower, so as not to damage the sheets or the root system.
4. Watering of plants is continued after flowering until the leaves turn yellow.
5. Wilted flowers should be plucked before the ovary appears to prevent bulb division and provide a large bud for the next year.

Bulbs are dug in July or August, sorted and dried in the shade. Then they are stored, gradually lowering the temperature to +10 ... + 12 ° С, right up to landing in the ground. Although you can not do this, because Strong Gold tulips retain their appearance and decorativeness for several years in a row. It will be enough to dig the bulbs every 3 or 4 years.

Pests and diseases

Almost all tulip diseases are triggered by improper care.

Flowers may be affected:

• Fusarium infection (parts of the plant turn yellow, dry);
• gray or root rot;
• rhizoctonia (brown spots and stripes appear);
• penicillosis (the plant rots).

With these diseases, plants need to be treated with fungicidal preparations.. However, most gardeners recommend pulling out diseased flowers along with bulbs, and treat healthy units for prevention. The soil should be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Did you know? In times "Tulip fever" in the Netherlands (XVII century), for one shoot of a flower they gave a piece of land or a stone house, and the most enviable bride was a girl who had precious bulbs in her dowry.

Gold poses danger and pests:

• nutcracker beetles;
• Bears
• ticks;
• aphid;
• wireworm;
• slugs and snails.

In the confrontation with insects, insecticides are relevant. Damaged flowers are pruned or pulled out to avoid infection of the rest.

The appearance of the flower may indicate a lack of a certain fertilizer:

1. If the sheets have lost the ability to maintain an upright position and become noticeably narrower, then nitrogen-containing fertilizers are required.
2. The appearance of a blueness along the edge of the sheet indicates a lack of potassium and phosphorus.

But fertilizing with fresh manure, on the contrary, can cause rotting of bulbs and the appearance of fungal diseases.

Tulip in landscaping

In landscape design, Strong Gold tulip is combined with many plants:

• flowers (small pansies, primrose, daisies, forget-me-nots, hyacinths);
• plants that do not bloom (host, fern);
• flowering shrubs (forsythia, rhododendron, louisania);
• evergreen (conifers or boxwood);
• herbs (gypsophila).

Flowers of this variety look especially impressive in planting in a group of 10 units.

Despite the fact that the flowering period is short, tulips in combination with other plants can form a border planting. So that the flower bed does not lose its decorative effect after flowering, tulips are planted in special baskets that are easy to remove without damaging the flowers growing nearby. The neighbors who are correctly picked up to tulips are capable to emphasize their beauty and elegance.

Important! When determining a place for planting, one should stop at a site where tulips have not been grown for at least 3 years.

So, from unpretentious tulip cultivars Strong Gold, you can create unusually beautiful flower beds and original flower beds. This variety can be a real gold purchase, even for a novice gardener.