History Of Tulip Bulbs: The Story Behind Tulip Mania
For many, tulips are a staple in the spring flower garden. With their beautiful, vibrant colors and bold patterns, the blooms are undoubtedly a welcome sign that weather will soon begin to warm. When planted in the fall, even the most novice gardener can grow beautiful, show-stopping tulips in their flower beds.
Easily obtainable to most growers, the import of tulip bulbs continues to increase with each planting season. Classified into singles, doubles, fringed, and even parrot types (only to name a few), and with over 3,000 documented cultivars, there is most likely a tulip that fulfills the preferences of even the most finicky of gardeners. Luckily, for modern gardeners, tulips are no longer quite the extravagance that they were at one time. However, the rich history of tulip bulb cultivation is one from which we can still learn.
Tulip Bulb History
Most likely native to Central Asia, tulip bulbs have long been cultivated for their beauty. Though modernly synonymous with the Netherlands, it wasn’t until the 1600s that tulips were cultivated there. The early scarcity of these wondrous bulbs allowed for tulips to quickly became an item of great status and desire among the Dutch of the time.
And this is where the story behind tulip mania began. As demand for the plant grew, many citizens began paying astronomical prices for a single tulip bulb. While many would trade animals, others would go on to make investments equivalent to or exceeding even the cost of a new home at the time. As prices for tulip bulbs began to skyrocket, soon a system of tulip “stocks” had formed.
The value of different tulip varieties would rise and fall, depending upon the day. Many invested some or nearly all their money into the tulip trade. Eventually, as we all know, this system would go on to collapse, as those wishing to profit from their tulip stocks began to sell. As the price of tulip bulbs continued to fall, those who had invested into the tulip trade suffered great losses. A valuable lesson from which we can still learn today.
Here in Florida it has been unmercifully hot and dry.
I’ve gotten quite a few tomatoes but even marigolds can’t take the dry heat.
I have to pick the tomatoes just as they turn red because Mr. Squirrel loves them too.
Good morning everyone and thank you Diana!
Cold today! (Beet and turip seedlings are in their garden beds under cover outside! Plum trees with pollinated growing drupes are wrapped in garden fabric, and anything cold sensitive like peppers and tomates are on the back porch with a heater.
(Off to pick up my daughter and bring her home for the day!)
My seed starts are way behind schedule (2-3 weeks) but it is my own fault.
This is my 1st year in Texas and ai was over watering the peat pods worrying about the heat drying them out.
We are not yet moved into our new home (end of May apprently) and ai can only get out there 1/day (after work) M-Thur..
I dropped some coin on tomato and pepper plants and up-potted them.
I had the intention of dropping them all in the ground on Friday but decided to wait until Sunday morning (today.)
Boy was that lucky.
Huge hailstorm last night that wiped out my neighbor’s garden completely.
He oy has twigs left....
I did lose 3 windows on the North side of my house from the golf ball sized hail.
My metal shed has some dents, my greenhouse has about 200 dimples into he poly tubing cover and about 100 golf ball sized holes.
I should be able to repair the holes with greenhouse tape.
I only lost 3 plants to the hail....3 hailstones made it through poly tubing and smashed the plant. 2 pepper plants got whacked and one tomato plant.
https://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/aurora-forecast-northern-hemisphere.jpg
Some pictures taken this evening in Germany:
https://spaceweather.com/
My tomato seedlings look much better than last year. Short and stocky, not long and thin and they’re grown faster. Brighter lights and I’m keeping them closer to the plants.
I spread the last of my stall waste heap on the garden and used GrandPap's old Ford to till it in. After work yesterday I transplanted some baby kales from the nice hoop house out into the cold cruel world. I still have ten or so tomato plants that need to be re-potted. Think I'll knock that out and then put some sweet corn seed into the dirt after work today. I've got two rhubarb plants that need to be set out, but they need a bit more hardening off before I do that.
Morel season has come to an end for me. Folks are still finding them, but I found enough and I need to get on with other projects.
A couple days ago I noticed something had been chewing on the new growth cattails on the pond bank, then yesterday afternoon I noticed an odd ripple on the pond. Went inside, grabbed Mr. Ruger, snuck up on the pond, and then air-conditioned the vermin muskrat who was thinking he could just move in without paying first and last month's rent and the damage deposit. He may have a straggler cousin looking to squat so I'll have to keep my eyes open.
Cut my first rose of the season today. There are many more buds getting ready to open. So nice to see roses again.