What causes tulip flowers to be distorted upon opening?
It is usually difficult to get to bottom of what causes tulip flowers to “blast.” Blasting is defined as the failure of a bulb to develop a marketable flower after the flower parts have been initiated. Some possible causes include: 1. High temperatures during bulb shipment or storage prior to planting. 2. Ethylene exposure, which can be a problem is some bulbs are infected with disease during shipment or storage. 3. Allowing the root medium to dry excessively, especially in combination with high temperatures. 4. A lack of adequate ventilation during shipment or storage of bulbs. 5. Poor root system development which might be caused by improper watering, very high soluble salts, or even very tight tunics.
