It is the time of the year when the exquisite tulips planted in Park Avenue’s malls lose their flowers, ending their captivating run each spring with nothing but stems sticking up from the dirt. That can only mean one thing: Upper East Side residents will soon be able to show off their green thumbs and dig up an estimated 60,000 bulbs for replanting in their personal gardens next year.
The Fund for Park Avenue, the group responsible for planting and maintaining the Park Avenue malls for more than 40 years, announced this year’s annual ‘Park Avenue Tulip Dig’ event begins on Friday, May 19th and continues for one week.
ALSO READ | House Party: Mayor Turns Gracie Mansion into Wedding Hall
This year’s tulips are of the Darwin Hybrid variety called Bullit. They’re among the most weather-resistant tulips and bloom annually as long as their leaves remain intact after blooming, according to the announcement flier distributed by the non-profit organization.
Amateur gardeners must be extra careful while digging on Park Avenue’s tulip-covered medians stretching from East 86th Street on the Upper East Side down to East 54th Street in Midtown, the flier states.
ALSO READ | Babka Beef Pits Michaeli Against Breads Over Creation of ‘Best of NY’ Recipe
Participants are encouraged to take as many tulip bulbs as they wish; however, the Fund for Park Avenue asks that participants leave all the soil in the plant beds behind.
After meticulously removing bulbs from the Park Avenue malls, they should be stored in a dry place until they turn brittle, the Fund advises. The flowers can then be replanted in the fall using a Bulbtone-type fertilizer and must get plenty of full sunlight.
One more tip from organizers: those participating in this year’s Park Avenue Tulip Dig should print out and carry a copy of the promotional flier to avert any concerns about suspicious activity.
