When to plant spring bulbs – for spectacular flowers

Knowing when to plant spring bulbs is essential if you want to enjoy a spectacular floral show in your garden when winter comes to an end.

Whatever spring bulbs you choose, the correct time to plant is in the fall – whether you're putting together bulb lasagnas in containers, planting up pots for your porch, or adding them to borders.

Time it right, and you can enjoy a cheery carpet of snowdrops and crocuses once the temperatures begin to rise, followed by golden daffodils, colorful tulips, fragrant hyacinths, and more. What better way to give your spring garden a boost?

• Buy spring bulbs from Nature Hills
• Buy spring bulbs from Burpee

When should I plant spring bulbs?

Hardy spring bulbs need a period of winter cold to grow and flower the following year, which is why it's important to plant them in the fall. The exact month in which you should plant them will largely depend on your USDA plant hardiness zone: in warmer climates, plant slightly later in the fall. For instance, in zone 5, most bulbs can be planted between September and October, while in zone 8, plant in November.

'It should be noted that tulips should go in slightly later than other bulbs,' says Holly Crossley, a gardening expert at Homes & Gardens. 'Get them in the ground towards the end of fall or even early winter, before the ground has frozen. Doing so greatly reduces the risks of them developing a disease called tulip fire, which makes the leaves look scorched and twisted.'

If you've missed the chance to plant your bulbs in the fall, you can always fill up a spring container or a small flower bed with ready-grown plants, Holly adds. 'These appear in garden centers from early spring to be planted out straight away. However, growing from bulbs is a more inexpensive method, especially if you want to fill large areas of your yard with flowers.'

Holly Crossley

A former professional gardener and allotment-grower, Holly now spends her days writing about plants and outdoor living for Homes and Gardens, caring for her large collection of houseplants, and drawing her favorite blooms. Spotting spring flowers fills her with joy after the long winter months, and she particularly loves discovering new varieties of tulips to swoon over.

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