Buying Bulbs in Person
Buy tulip bulbs from a local nursery or garden center. At a nursery or garden center, you can look over the tulip bulbs before you buy them and choose the healthiest ones for your garden. If you’re looking for specific types of tulip bulbs, call the nursery or garden center ahead of time to make sure they have them. When you buy bulbs from a nursery or garden center, you’re limited to what they have in stock. You may have a harder time finding rare or exotic tulip bulbs.
Get the biggest tulip bulbs you can afford. Bigger tulip bulbs are usually healthier, and they produce bigger flowers. When you're shopping for bulbs, hold bulbs next to each other to compare their sizes and then choose the bigger ones. Bigger bulbs are typically more expensive, so try to find the biggest ones available that are within your budget.
Feel the bulbs to make sure they’re firm. Healthy tulip bulbs should be firm to the touch. If they feel mushy and soft, it’s a sign that the bulbs aren’t healthy.
Compare the weights of the bulbs and choose the heavier ones. Hold the bulbs in your hands to see how heavy they feel. If you’re deciding between 2 bulbs of the same variety, choose the heavier one — heavier bulbs tend to have more moisture, which means they’re healthier. Avoid buying bulbs that feel light for their size. They may feel light because they're dried out.
Ordering Bulbs for Delivery
Get tulip bulbs from a mail-order catalog if you want exotic varieties. Ordering from mail-order bulb catalogs is a great way to get rare or exotic tulip bulbs that aren’t available in your area. It’s also convenient since the bulbs are delivered right to your door. If you don’t already have a subscription to a catalog, sign up for one online, or look for online catalogs so you can order over the internet. Search online for reviews of different mail-order catalogs to find ones that are reputable. You can also try searching "reputable mail-order seed catalogs" or "best seed catalogs."
Order from an online auction site if catalogs don't have the bulbs you want. Some online auction sites, like eBay, have vendors that sell tulip bulbs. Like a mail-order catalog, online auction sites have a greater variety of bulbs than nurseries or garden centers, and they may be cheaper. If you decide to use an online auction site, read reviews from other customers on the auction site to find out which vendors are reputable.
Order your bulbs at the start of fall so you have them in time to plant. When you order bulbs from a catalog or online, it's a good idea to do it early in the fall in case they take a long time to ship. Buying tulip bulbs early on will also give you more options to choose from since there will be more in stock.
Make sure your tulip bulbs feel firm when they arrive. If they feel soft or mushy, it's a sign they're unhealthy. Healthy tulip bulbs will feel firm when you squeeze them. If you receive unhealthy bulbs in the mail, reach out to the vendor over email or by phone and ask for a refund.
Choosing Bulb Varieties
Choose tulip bulbs that will thrive in your climate. Not all tulip bulbs are the same. Some varieties can handle warmer conditions than others. Before you buy a type of bulb, make sure you read the label or description to see which climate it’s suitable for. If you’re not sure, ask a staff member for assistance or research it online. Most tulips do best in climates with cold winters and hot, dry summers. If you live somewhere with milder winters, look for bulbs that don’t rely as much on the cold.
Get perennial tulip bulbs if you want them to grow back every year. Perennial tulip bulbs grow back every year, while annual bulbs only bloom once. If you don’t want to plant new bulbs every year, look for tulip bulb varieties that are labeled as perennial. Some perennial tulip bulbs you can plant are: Tulip olympic flame Tulip peppermint stick Tulip negrita Tulip spring green
Choose a short-stemmed variety if you live in a windy or rainy area. Short-stemmed tulips are less susceptible to weather damage because they’re lower to the ground. Some short-stemmed tulips you can plant in your garden are: Single early tulips Greigii tulips Waterlily tulips
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