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Hello, again!
Have I got an opportunity for you! I can get you in on the ground floor of an investment that I’m sure will pay off. They say history repeats itself, and I just have a gut feeling it’s about to happen again. What is it? Tulipmania! Dating back to the mid 1600’s, tulip prices hit historic levels, so high that at the peak of the economic bubble the price of a single tulip bulb hit ten times the annual income of a skilled Dutch worker. The Dutch Republic at the time was the world’s leader in economic and financial power.
What caused Tulipmania? That requires a little history on tulips and the Dutch. The introduction of the tulip to Europe is usually attributed to Ogier de Busbecq, the ambassador of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor to the Sultan of Turkey, who sent the first tulip bulbs and seeds to Vienna in 1554. Tulip bulbs were soon distributed from Vienna to Holland. The tulip was different from every other flower known to Europe at that time, with a saturated, intense petal color that no other plant had. The appearance of the tulip as a status symbol at this time coincided with the rise of newly independent Holland's trade fortunes.
As a result, tulips rapidly became a coveted luxury item, and a profusion of varieties followed. The multicolor effects of intricate lines and flame-like streaks on the petals made the bulbs that produced these even more exotic-looking plants highly sought-after. It is now known that this effect is due to the bulbs being infected with a type of tulip-specific mosaic virus, known as the ‘Tulip Breaking Virus’, so called because it ‘breaks’ the one petal color into two or more.
While I was visiting with our bulb supplier Piet Stuifbergen recently, he mentioned a limited supply of Rembrandt tulips that he had for us. These are modern day ancestors of those from Tulipmania, which give us spectacular colors. These are limited and once they are gone, they are gone. Right now they’re available in packs of five, with only twenty packs in stock per store.
Well, all good things come to an end. Tulipmania reached its peak during the winter of 1636-37, when some bulbs were reportedly changing hands ten times in a day. No deliveries were ever made to fulfill any of these contracts, because in February 1637, tulip bulb contract prices collapsed abruptly and the trade of tulips ground to a halt.
One thing we do know is that tulips (and all spring flowering bulbs) still make a show of color like no other plants can! The vastness of colors available is beyond any other bedding plants. I'll leave you with a few pro tips for success with all spring flowering bulbs, not only tulips, but crocus, daffodils, hyacinths and many other miscellaneous bulbs as well.
The only time to plant spring flowering bulbs is in the autumn. Bulbs need several weeks of cold temperatures to promote flowering.
Soil preparation is important. Johnson's Soil Recipe works well for getting bulbs established in all types of soil in our area, sandy to clay. The recipe adds both valuable compost and beneficials to the soil, and contains both fast and slow release fertilizers. You'll get a discount when buying all of the ingredients together.
Don't skip watering. Piet reminds us that watering the bulbs in after planting is one of the most important steps in success with spring flowering bulbs.
If you're planting bulbs for the first time, or need a refresher, download our Bulb Planting Guide for all of the details. We have a great selection of spring flowering bulbs ready for planting in your garden. We hope to see you soon!
Your friend in the garden,
Marty Johnson
Owner - Johnson's Garden Centers
