Probably, there is no person on the planet who is not familiar with the beauty and aroma of spring flowers - tulips. Today there are about 150 varieties, among which there are especially noteworthy ones, such as, for example, Queen of night. These flowers have a special decorative effect and are undemanding to the growing conditions. But gardeners who decide to plant a crop on their site should still learn more about it.

Botanical grade description

Queen of Knight tulips were bred at the beginning of the 20th century and have been pleasing and surprising for more than 100 years with their unusual decorativeness. These bulbous plants belong to the Triumph class, which includes another 19 varieties obtained by crossing simple, early and Darwin hybrids. They have peduncles up to 50 cm high, on which goblet flowers are located.On the outside, the buds are painted in dark purple tones and have a slightly metallic sheen, and in the middle they are velvety black with a bright yellow pestle. Because of this peculiar color, tulips got their name Queen of night, which means “queen of the night”. The variety belongs to the late - it blooms in May. During this period, the matured glasses open and can reach a diameter of 10 cm. It is interesting that the flowers sleep at night - in the evening they close their buds, and blossom again when the sun rises.

Did you know? At the beginning of the 17th century, tulip bulbs cost fabulous money. In France, grooms presented them as expensive gifts to their brides.

By the end of the flowering period, which occurs approximately in the middle of June, seed boxes ripen inside the flowers. The root system consists of the bulb and the associated roots produced by it. During the growing season, new tubers form in the rhizome, which are dug up and used later for planting. Although tulips are perennial crops with a lifespan of up to 10 years, every 3-4 years they are recommended to be transplanted to a new place.

Growing Features

The Queen of night tulip is a hybrid variety and, like most artificially bred plants, has improved qualities - increased immunity to diseases, resistance to climatic characteristics of a particular region. Nevertheless, without human support, it is difficult for culture to maintain its decorativeness, so you should know the basic conditions for a favorable landing and further care.

Landing rules

First of all, it is important to choose the right place for the flowerbed. Tulips quickly take root and bloom lushly in well-lit areas and in light partial shade. In addition, it is important to choose a place that is not blown by gusts of wind that can bend and even break long peduncles. It is best to plant low shrubs around the flower beds. You can not plant plants in areas with waterlogged soil. If there are no other alternatives, place a flowerbed on an artificial hill and take care of laying a drainage layer during planting.

Important! When planting tulips, it is recommended to add wood ash to the soil (200 g per 1 m²), which not only fertilizes the soil, but also neutralizes excess acidity.

Queen of night tulips are responsive to fertile soils. The optimal soil composition is garden soil, peat and sand, combined in 2: 1: 1 proportions. Before planting, the area under the tulips needs to be dug to a depth of 25-30 cm, cleaned of weeds and other biological debris (traces of pruning trees, fallen leaves, etc.). It is advisable to do this a month before planting the bulbs. Simultaneously with the digging, the land is fertilized - 2 buckets of humus (compost) and 50-60 g of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are added per 1 m².The best period for planting tulips is autumn. In the spring it is not advisable to do this, because, as practice shows, such plants lag behind in growth and bloom poorly. But in autumn, you need to choose the most favorable period for survival. For tulips, this is the end of September and the beginning of October. If you plant the bulbs earlier, then they can begin to sprout and with the onset of real cold weather they will simply freeze. If you are late, there is a risk that the planting material does not have time to take root in cold soil and die.

Carefully inspect each instance - it should not have signs of disease, rot, cracking or other defects. In extreme cases, the damaged area can be removed, and the section treated for an hour with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The distance between the planting pits should be about 15 cm. If you plan to plant in rows, at least 20 cm between them must be retreated. The immersion depth of the bulbs depends on the size of the planting material. For Queen of Night tulips, you need to dig holes or a furrow with a depth of about 10-12 cm.It is recommended to add a complex mineral fertilizer (80-100 g per 1 m²) to the bottom, and pour a layer of sand (3-5 cm) in order to avoid sharp contact of planting material with the ground and the possibility of infectious lesions. Bulbs are placed in the planting pits strictly vertically, bottom to bottom, sprinkled with soil and watered. Before freezing, it is necessary to mulch the beds with peat, sand, so that the tubers do not freeze.

Video: proper tulip planting

The subtleties of care

To plant tulips correctly is only half the battle. Now the gardener needs to take care of creating favorable conditions. The Queen of night variety is not particularly demanding, but nevertheless, during the growing season, the following rules must be observed:

1. Watering. Tulips are watered as necessary, making sure that the earth does not dry out. In the rainy season, you can not moisten the soil at all. When watering during the hot season, you need to ensure that drops of water do not fall on the foliage and buds, otherwise burns may remain, and the flowers will not open. The best option is to dig out the furrows in the aisles and deliver water directly to them.
2. Digging. Weeding a plot with tulips is a must after planting, as you need to ensure that weeds do not “populate” the area, preventing plants from taking root. It is better to carry out the procedure manually, so that the tool does not accidentally damage planted bulbs. In the spring, the earth is periodically dug up, for better circulation of air and moisture.
3. Top dressing. Like all blooming, tulips are responsive to dressing, thanks to which plants are less sick, have strong peduncles and are particularly decorative. During the growing season, the soil is fertilized several times: when leaves appear, during the formation of buds and during flowering. Use for this complex mineral top dressing, such as Nitroammofoska. The product contains a high concentration of nutrients, such as potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, due to which tulips give large buds, bloom longer, and greens acquire a more saturated color.
4. Bulb pruning and digging. Tulips need to be cut off at a time when the bud is fully colored. At the same time, try to leave as many leaves as possible, as they are a source of nutrients for plant roots. After flowering, the bulbs are dug up, washed, the children are separated and dried, then they are sent for storage to a dark cool place.
5. Winter preparations. Before the onset of cold weather, planted bulbs should be abundantly sprinkled with a mulching layer, 6–8 cm thick. In the northern regions, where winters are especially cold, additional shelter (burlap or spanbond) should be used.

Pests and diseases

Scientists have studied about 30 infectious diseases that can cause irreparable harm to tulips. The Queen of Knight variety, although it is resistant to ailments, can also suffer.

Important! The soil for planting tulips can not be fed with not fully rotted organic fertilizers (manure, compost) — this can lead to an outbreak of fungal diseases and the death of corms.

To avoid this, you must follow the rules of agricultural technology, do not plant plants in darkened and waterlogged areas, feed them with fertilizers on time, carry out preventive spraying with drugs that not only prevent the likelihood of infection, but also reflect possible insect attacks. Spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux fluid helps against diseases, and treatment with Aktara insecticide helps against pests.

Among insects, the greatest harm to tulips is:

• nematodes - small worms that penetrate the rhizome and feed on the green tissues of plants. As a result of their life, tulips quickly weaken, lose color. If measures are not taken in time, the plants die. If pests are found, chemical treatment with Karbofos or Phosphamide is recommended;
• onion mites - they are dangerous in that they gnaw the tuber tissues and provoke their rot and death. As a result, the flowers lose their decorative effect, and the leaves fall off. To deal with the pest should be spraying plants with a solution of "Celtan";
• gourds - just like ticks, feed on bulbs, preferring areas near the very bottom. Gardeners should take into account that the larvae of these pests hibernate in tubers; therefore, material collected in the summer must be etched before planting with a 0.75% solution of Karbofos. Having discovered the attack of the beetles, damaged tulips should be removed from the garden with roots and burned;
• aphid - It is dangerous not only because it feeds on the sap of plants and, as a result, destroys them, but also the ability to transmit infectious diseases from other cultures. When an insect appears, the treatment of plants with Confidor is recommended.

Among the diseases, the most dangerous for tulips are all sorts of gray rot and variegation. These ailments are characterized by the appearance of small spots on the leaves, which then grow. In the case of rot, they have a brown or yellow color, and with variegation - light green. If diseased plants are found, they need to be dug up and burned.

Video: tulip diseases

Use in landscape design

Queen of night tulips can become worthy participants in a flower bed, the so-called continuous flowering. To do this, you need to choose for them neighbors who dissolve in different periods. For example, tulips blooming in May can be planted in the center of the composition (their high peduncles will rise above other plantings), and along the edges are perennials whose flowering occurs at a later date.

Did you know? If you plant on a plot with tulips a calendula that releases substances that can kill bacteria, you can protect flowers from infectious diseases.

Between them, forget-me-nots, daisies or hyacinths can be placed - these plants will serve as an intermediate link between the periods when the tulips begin to fade, and perennials have not yet blossomed. Such mixborders look good in recreation areas. If you want to design a flowerbed exclusively from tulips, choose species with different colors and flowering periods. Since the Queen of night variety belongs to the late blooming in May, you can take creamy pink early tulips Foxy Foxtrot, yellow Big Smile, white Maurren in the neighbor.In a group planting, these varieties will create a great contrasting composition. The advantage of Queen of Night tulips is that their purple-black color blends perfectly with any other. The selection of the palette of neighboring plants will depend only on what mood you want to give the composition. To create bright, “flashy” contrasts, you can choose red, bright yellow colors-neighbors. If you prefer a more relaxed design, pick up plants with pink, cream, blue buds.

It’s a good idea to grow flowers in large spacious containers that can be moved if necessary. In this case, it is not difficult to arrange a greenhouse on the veranda or loggia, organize a multi-tiered flower garden, which will save space in a small area. Since Queen of Knight flowers are sharply distinguished by their unusual color, containers with plants can be periodically rearranged to different areas, focusing on one corner or another of the house territory.Tulips are extremely popular. They are beautiful, have a pleasant aroma and at the same time do not require a lot of attention from a person. Nevertheless, the decorativeness of these plants will be fully manifested only in favorable conditions, so do not be lazy, follow the cultivation agricultural technique, and the gratitude of the culture will not take long, and soon you will enjoy its magnificent flowering.