When To Plant Fall Planted Flower Bulbs

After you have purchased your flower bulbs and the bulbs been delivered, it's time to plant your fall bulbs.

The best time to plant flower bulbs in fall is when your daytime temperatures are consistently in the 60’s or lower. Planting when the soil and air is too warm can lead to the bulbs rotting, premature growth and poor root systems.

Fall planted bulbs can be planted after a light frost has hit your area. However, you will want to plant your fall bulbs before the ground is frozen solid in fall or early winter. If you can dig into the ground it is safe to plant bulbs in fall.

Gardeners in warmer climates can plant fall bulbs as late as early January for blooms in spring. Most fall planted bulbs require consistent cold temperatures in order to produce a flower bud. For example, tulip bulbs require 12-16 weeks of daytime temperatures consistently below 50 degrees in order to produce a flower bud. Therefore, you will want to make sure the bulbs have plenty of time for the cold temperatures to help develop a flower bud. If the bulbs do not get the appropriate amount of cold temperatures, they will most likely grow but won’t produce flower buds that spring.