17337_Tulipa.jpg - Plant tulip bulbs in fall for spring bloom.
Firm bulbs are generally healthy bulbs. Give tulip bulbs a squeeze, the way you would when choosing fruit or onions, to make sure that they’re firm and healthy. It’s okay for bulbs to have a few marks on them. Many bulbs, especially tulips, have a papery onion-skin covering called a tunic. If a bulb’s tunic is cracked and peeling, or even gone completely and exposing the bulb underneath, it’s nothing to worry about. According to the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center, www.bulb.com, a torn or cracked tunic may even help a bulb to root more quickly.
