Tulip Tulipa 'Whispering Dream' (3)

Water

Tulips prefer to be watered deeply and infrequently rather than little and often. For Tulip 'Whispering Dream', ensure the soil is dry to the touch before watering again. This might mean watering with about 1 gallon per square foot every week during the active growth phase if there hasn't been significant rainfall—adjusting for your specific climate and soil conditions. Once the blooms have faded and the foliage is yellowing, which is typically late spring to early summer, you can cease watering as the bulbs enter dormancy.

Light

Tulips, including 'Whispering Dream', thrive best when they receive full sun to partial shade. Ideally, they should be placed in a spot where they can bask in at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. A position that gets morning sun is excellent, as it helps the blooms last longer compared to the intense heat of the afternoon sun.

Temperature

Tulips like 'Whispering Dream' are best suited to cooler climates. They can tolerate winter temperatures as low as 20°F but shouldn't be exposed to prolonged periods below this range. Ideally, they grow best in conditions where temperatures range from 35°F to 70°F. The bulbs require a period of cold dormancy; therefore, refrigerating the bulbs before planting is necessary if winter temperatures do not drop below 45°F.

Pruning

Pruning of Tulip 'Whispering Dream' primarily involves deadheading the spent flowers after blooming, which prevents the plant from putting energy into seed production. Once the petals fall, snip off the flower head but leave the foliage in place. The leaves should be left to die back naturally, which usually takes until late spring or early summer. This allows the plant to redirect nutrients back to the bulb for next year's growth.

Cleaning

As needed

Soil

Tulips require well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. A good soil mix for Tulipa 'Whispering Dream' would include equal parts of loamy soil, sand, and compost to ensure proper drainage and fertility. Adding a slow-release bulb fertilizer can also benefit the plant's growth and flowering potential.

Repotting

Tulips, such as 'Whispering Dream', are typically grown from bulbs and do not require frequent repotting. These bulbs should be planted in the fall and can be left in the ground for several years unless they become overcrowded. If that happens, they can be lifted and divided after the foliage has died back in late spring or early summer.

Humidity & Misting

Tulips like 'Whispering Dream' do well in average outdoor humidity conditions. They do not have specific humidity requirements but do need good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases. As such, ensuring they are not overcrowded and are in a well-ventilated area suffices for their humidity needs.

Suitable locations

• Indoor

  Place in bright, indirect light and cool temperatures.

• Outdoor

  Plant bulbs in fall in well-draining soil; full sun.

• Hardiness zone

  3-8 USDA

Life cycle

Tulip 'Whispering Dream' begins its life as a bulb, planted in the fall before the ground freezes. It remains dormant underground during the winter, using the cold period as a necessary chilling phase to break dormancy. In early to mid-spring, the bulb sends up shoots, followed by leaves and a single flower stalk, producing a colorful bloom that lasts for a few weeks. After the flower wilts, the foliage continues to photosynthesize, replenishing the bulb's energy reserves until the leaves yellow and die back. The tulip then enters a period of dormancy during summer, conserving energy in the bulb. The cycle repeats the following spring, with the bulb potentially producing offsets that can be separated and planted to grow new plants.

Propogation

• Propogation time

  Early autumn

• The Tulip 'Whispering Dream' is typically propagated through bulb division, a process ideally performed in the fall when the bulb is dormant. As one of the most popular methods for tulip propagation, bulb division includes carefully digging up the mature bulbs after the foliage has died back post-bloom and the bulb has had time to replenish its energy stores. This usually takes place once the leaves have yellowed and can be easily pulled from the bulb, generally a few weeks after flowering has ended. The offsets, which are the smaller bulbs or bulblets that have formed attached to the parent bulb, are then gently separated. These offsets can then be planted immediately at a depth of about 6 to 8 inches (around 15 to 20 centimeters) with proper spacing to allow for growth, ensuring that they are placed with the pointed end facing upwards. This method of propagation allows the gardener to increase their stock of 'Whispering Dream' tulips while ensuring genetic consistency as the bulbs are clones of the parent plant.