tulip 'Abba'

Plant 15-20cm deep from mid-autumn to late autumn in beds or containers, in fertile, preferably neutral or alkaline soil that is free-draining but also able to hold moisture when the bulbs are in full growth, in full sun and with shelter from strong winds; lift bulbs in summer after the leaves have died down, and ripen them in a well-ventilated greenhouse; for more advice, see tulip cultivation

No pruning required

Propagate by division of offsets, re-planting the larger bulbs and growing on the smaller bulbs in a nursery bed, or by bulb propagation

May be affected by aphids, slugs, snails, stem and bulb eelworm, and grey squirrels, mice and deer

May be affected by tulip fire disease, tulip grey bulb rot, and virus diseases; bulbs in storage may be affected by blue mould