Indoor Grown Tulips for Wedding

by Amanda
(Campton, NH, USA)

I am getting married in June and plan on using tulips as the main flower, since I know they are hard to find in June I plan to grow them indoors myself. From start to finish how long will this take so that I can have my tulips ready for my late June wedding?

Doug says that he really, really hates doing this kind of answer. Here's the deal. If you have a greenhouse, and if you can control (precisely) the growing temperatures and conditions, you're probably going to go from dormant, pre-chilled bulb to flowering in 21-23 days (give or take).

If you don't have 1) pre-chilled bulbs that are well-rooted in pots and 2) greenhouse and great growing conditions - then I can guarantee that I have no idea how long it's going to take. There are too many variables.

Getting bulbs to bloom on specific dates is a growing science and even the pro's can't predict a week or two of cloudy weather that will slow down plant growth.

I do however have several suggestions (having been the father of the bride myself).

1) You're going to be way too busy and occupied with a bunch of other details to worry about keeping and having tulips flower on time. This is particularly true if you aren't a grower already.

2) The lack of flowers/tulips at your wedding if you mess up (highly likely) is really going to mess up your day and the stress levels worrying about it and arranging last minute flowers is going to be a problem.

3) Plan on spending the money to buy them from a florist if you really want tulips. In the long run, you'll thank me. (even though this isn't the answer you want). Florists have access to bulb auctions and can get exactly what you want - in the numbers you need.

So you'll have less stress and this is one less detail you won't have to worry about. You may not think this will matter now but (trust me) the closer it gets, the more you'll be pleased you did. :-)

And I won't even go into what stress it will take away from "mothers" to have one less detail to take care of. :-) (he says from a father's point of view)