The Best Time To Plant Tulip Bulbs For Stunning Spring Blooms

Tulips are quintessential spring flowers, but if you want to grow your own, you need to start work well in advance of spring. They, like other bulbs that make a stunning spring garden, are generally planted in fall, though the exact time of the season that's best varies by region. And while many tulips can come back year after year in some areas, in others, especially those with clay soil or extremely mild winters, they are treated as annuals and will need to be replanted each fall.

In many regions, the standard advice is to plant spring bulbs in September or October, and while that is often perfect, it's better to go by temperature when deciding. The ideal time to plant tulips is generally when soil temperatures have dropped to below 55 degrees, but are still above 50 degrees. While you can keep planting bulbs up until the ground freezes, it's better to have your bulbs in a few weeks before that so they have time to establish their roots. In areas without at least 3 months of temperatures below 55 degrees, be sure to pre-chill your bulbs or buy pre-chilled tulip bulbs. 

While it might be tempting to plant your spring bulbs as soon as they arrive in the mail or are available in local shops, you shouldn't plant tulip bulbs too early. Planting them when temperatures are still above 55 degrees Fahrenheit can cause them to sprout in the fall, and then be killed or damaged by the winter cold. Being patient and waiting until temperatures are cool enough gives your bulbs the best chance to survive winter well and be ready to pop up when spring arrives. 

If you miss your window for planting your tulip bulbs and your ground freezes, you can always opt to grow the bulbs inside by forcing the tulip bulbs in water or in soil. This is a great way to have colorful blooms indoors during winter. Plus, it's not like you can store the bulbs for long if you miss your planting window. Trying to hold onto the bulbs in your shed or garage to plant the next year will likely end with them rotting before spring. And hey, if it's all too much of a pain, you can also opt to skip the bulbs and instead simply grow flowers that look like tulips.