I tulipani amano sia il sole sia l’ombra, quindi cresceranno bene in ogni caso. Un consiglio: nella piantagione autunnale bisogna valutare attentamente le zone di sole e quelle di ombra. Al momento della fioritura primaverile, infatti, tutte le piante a foglia caduca (non sempreverdi), saranno completamente spoglie e il giardino sarà molto più soleggiato di come appariva in autunno. It is necessary to leave the green foliage exposed to the sun until it turns brown or six weeks have elapsed since blooming. Fight the urge to trim back or constrain the leaves during their die-back phase after looming. Don’t bunch, tie, braid or cut bulb plant leaves during this period. Dealing with the fading foliage is basically one of those things that lovers of spring bulbs must deal with. The only management tip is camouflage. Try interplanting bulbs with annuals or perennials, or planting them strategically nearby so that the latter mask the declining bulb foliage as best as possible. As a planting strategy, plant clumps of bulbs instead of full beds. This way you will have a lovely spring show, and plenty of room to plant camouflaging companions. Avoid fertilising the annuals planted in the same bed until the bulbs have died back. Bulbs in spring, if they’re fertilised at all, should only get a dose of fast-release nitrogen about six weeks before flowering (normally bulbs want a low nitrogen mix, but in spring it is the green-encouraging nitrogen that is called for). Fertilising bulbs too close to flowering time, when the bulbs can’t metabolise the food, only encourages fusarium and other nasty things.