How Far Apart to Plant Tulips
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GardenSays
Your 8×4 ft raised bed fits 171 tulip bulbs at 5-inch spacing.
- Between plants
- 5 in
- Grid
- 19 × 9
- Total plants
- 171
Tulip bulbs need 4-6 inches between plants, and in a raised bed you can use that same spacing in both directions — no walking rows needed. At the 5-inch midpoint, that's 19 along the bed and 9 across — 171 plants.
Calculated result · 1 verified source · Checked 2026-07-16 · How we decide
Why
Crowding is the most common spacing mistake: closer planting doesn't add yield, it adds shade, disease pressure, and small fruit. When in doubt, use the wider end of the range.
- Air circulation between mature plants is the cheapest disease prevention there is.
- Roots spread wider than the plant looks in June — spacing is set for August size.
When this doesn't apply
- Compact tulip bulbs can take the tight end of the range; large or vigorous ones want the wide end.
- Square-foot gardening compresses further than these numbers — it trades yield per plant for yield per bed and needs diligent feeding.
How this was calculated
- 1. In-row spacing5 in
Tulip: 4-6 inches between plants (extension guidance); midpoint used
- 2. Intensive grid19 × 9 plants
Raised beds skip walking paths: plants sit on a 5×5 inch grid. 96÷5 along, 48÷5 across (edge margins included in the division)
- 3. Total171 plants
19 × 9
Data sources
- Royal Horticultural Society — How to grow tulips — Space bulbs at least twice their width apart, planted at two to three times their height in depth — shallow planting causes small or missing flowers. (checked 2026-07-16)
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