Texas Tulip Care Guidelines?

Tulip planting in Texas is best during cooler months, with the best time being in the fall when soil temperature drops. Set bulbs 2 to 3 times as deep as they are tall and water them immediately after covering them with good garden soil. Most tulip varieties should be handled as annuals in Texas conditions. To grow tulips, buy them early in the fall and store them in refrigerated bags for months. Plant them in early February in deep, rich soil, either in full sun or partial shade, on a raised bed. Tulip bulbs require consistent temperatures of 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 weeks, so the soil in which they are planted must be consistent. The best time to plant tulips in North Texas is between Thanksgiving and Christmas, or once soil temperature is between 50-55 degrees. Store the bulbs 6 to 16 weeks cold, and place them in ventilated bags, mesh bulb/onion bags, or egg cartons. In DFW, plant them after Thanksgiving, once soil temperatures are consistently below 50F, and by the end of December. Tulips prefer full or afternoon sun, but in Zones 7 and 8, choose a shady site or one with morning sun only.