Tulip propagation by seed part 1: how to choose viable seeds for planting

[@NotGoddess]

Thank you. I let a few tulips go to seed this year. Your video helped me determine the viable seeds. It will be an interesting experiment to grow them.

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

Thanks very much for the very nice comment, and good luck with your tulip seeds :D

[@angelbanuelos3767]

I'm so excited for episode 7 in 7 years!! I can't wait!! 😁😁😁 Just pollinated my tulips today

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

I wish you the best of luck!!! I would recommend try to pollinate some with the same variety and some with other varieties, some tulips prefer to be pollinated with pollen of a different genetic background from their own, many tulips can not be self-pollinated as many other plants, but when you get viable seeds is very exciting!!!

[@snobird33]

The viability lesson was very helpful.

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

thanks very much for the very nice comment

[@Gladioli10]

Thank you for this video! Definitely trying this next year with my tulips.

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

you are very welcome, I wish you the best of luck !!!

[@lojanu1000]

I live in Zone 3 bordering on Zone 2 so we have long winters starting mildly in early October and could be very cold through that month and throughout the rest of the months until Mid April when we gave mild frosts during the night but warm days. Would I put planted pots with tulip seeds planted in them outside, like under a deck? The mature bulbs are never protected except by planting them about 6” deep into virgin ground. The bulbs thrive come spring and grow throughout the summer. I would think I’d have to plant the seeds about September 1 to get them germinating. If new plants form will they be ok outside under the deck for the really cold of our winters?

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

most tulips are perfectly fine in USDA zone 3, and I think your idea to plant them in September would be great

[@fs34639]

I was forced (the stem had come out of the soil) to collect some today that I had left to go to seed. The seed pod had begun to go a papery colour, though still with some green, and it had begun to open up at the top. The seeds are brown, although are quite soggy in texture, presumably because of the rain we had here last night. I was wondering if you could give your verdict as to whether they are likely to be viable or not?

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

to see if they are viable, you need to see the embryo within the seed, is actually pretty easy, the "straight line" I am taking about at 08:06 ; I would suggest protect the seedpod with a fine mesh, so when the seed pod splits open, the seeds do not disperse around; however, is the stem had come out of the soil already, bring it at home and let the seed pod dry in a cool and dry place

[@mora118]

I have a single orangeish red tulip in my yard that flowered. I have no idea when or how it was planted. I did notice a few other tulip plans that didnt flower as well. The flower fell off and now im just waiting for the seed pod to get big and turn brown. How long does it normally take? The flower has been off for about a week to a week and a half. Im hoping to collect the seeds and see if I cant get a tulip bed started beside my porch. (granted im hoping to start these seeds inside and prob will have to do more research on how to get them to germinate, grow, etc.) But a tulip bed is the gal :)

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

it can take several weeks for the tulip seed pod to ripen, and is very important to cover the seed pod with a fine mesh (still allowing enough room for the seed pod to expand), because if you are away when the seed pod splits, it releases the seeds that get dispersed through the wind, so the mesh blocks the seeds within it. Tulip seeds need to be planted outdoors in autumn, because they need to be exposed to very cold temperatures in winter, to trigger germination in spring. Remember to sow the seeds in a pot so they don't have competition from weeds or other plants, keep the pot weed free, and in a few years (up to 7 years) your tulips will bloom: patience is the key when growing tulips from seed !!!

[@mora118]

@@plantreviewsuk1204 Thank you so much for the information! Ill be getting a mesh and figuring that out then. I dont want to lose the seeds. On the off chance things dont go well, there is hopefully next year. But I'd rather be successful this time. Would it be wise to transplant another tulips into pots? I have another plant thats in a bad spot. Its being smothered by winter creeper, which is an awful ground vine that I have been trying to rip out since last year. Its been an ongoing struggle and im worried that the plant is going to die if I dont move it and get at the vine without damaging the tulip plant. I dont know how well they do with transplanting and I dont know how old the plant itself is. It didnt flower so i'd say under the 3 to 5 year mark. Leaves are pretty big though.

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

@@mora118 I would suggest to transplant the tulip when the leaves are withering, so about late May or June, as it is going to natural dormancy so the roots will not be disturbed much, as the bulb will loose them anyway soon after. Tulips love sunny areas so definitely weeds around are not good news for them

[@mora118]

@@plantreviewsuk1204 thank you again. I'll wait and get it moved until i csn get the winter creeper ripped out fully.

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

@@mora118 you are very welcome

[@decorazionidiandreea]

video molto interessante complimenti per quello che fai 👏👏👏

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

grazie mille :D

[@holi7858]

I too let a few of my tulip go to seed this year, it’s very useful to know which seed is viable and which is not. Question; how will I know when the tulip head is ready to be harvested (for the seeds) and also do I plant the viable seeds in autumn in my garden or inside the house? (I live in a colder environment so we get very cold winters)

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

The tulip seed pods are ready to be harvested when they are dry and start splitting open (protect them with a fine mesh when they develop, so if you are away when they split open, the mesh traps the seeds within it. The seeds need to be sown in the garden, as they need a winter chill in order to trigger germination in spring.

[@fs34639]

Thanks for your help

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

@@fs34639 you are very welcome

[@ShaneMihalow]

Very interesting. I am going to subscribed look forward to more

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

thanks very much for the very nice comment, I am very pleased that you enjoyed the video

[@ShaneMihalow]

Would you be willing so sell and ship some bulbs to the USA?

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

@@ShaneMihalow I wish I could but the import and export restrictions don't allow me to do so, as I wouldneed phytosanitary certificates... also, it take a few years from getting flowers after starting the seeds. Anyway I am sure that in the USA there are several tulip sellers. Which varieties do you like in particular?

[@Anon-xd3cf]

What do you think i will get from a cross between a large head pale yellow with a small head sunset parrot type? Crossed in both directions, pale yellow onto sunset parrot and sunset parrot on pale yellow. I guess we will find out. I don't know where the parrot tulips came from, likely a neighbour has some with that feature or some random seeds took and i didn't notice... However they got here, i am happy to have them, i love the featherd petals... I just want to try to get that feature in other colours without having to buy them...but also because its a good side project while i wait for the fruit tree grafts to start to produce.

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

I think offspring colour tends to be intermediate in characteristics between the two parents, judging by the amount of shades each colour shows in tulips: at least some will probably be yellowish or pale salmon, then some other offspring might be of different colours according to the genes inherited by the ancestors. Not sure how the fringed character is inherited by tulips, if it is dominant, recessive or intermediate. I wish you the best of luck, I never got luck from pollinating parrot tulips, but normal tulips are generally not difficult to be pollinated by other varieties such as parrots :D

[@mariagiurca8230]

Hello! Will the tulip seeds planted in autumn produce flowers in the following spring?

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

Hello. Unfortunately tulip seeds will not produce flowers the spring following planting, because they need several years (three years as a minimum, but usually longer) in order to reach blooming size. If you want tulip flowers next spring, planting blooming sized bulbs, available for sale during autumn in many shops and online, is the easiest way. However breeding tulips by seeds allow to create new varieties and colours, so can be very exciting!!!

[@margitvarganemunkacsi9700]

Really good video, but can You say less ooo between words, if You can? Nooffence

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

thanks very much for the very nice comments, and sorry for the oooohhhs, I am trying to avoid them !!!

[@helenphancanada8988]

Hello new friend, new Subscribe. Have a good day

[@plantreviewsuk1204]

thanks very much Helen, I also subscribed to your channel, cheers