When to plant tulip bulbs

Tulip bulbs
The rule

Plant from 2 weeks before to 3 weeks after the first fall frost.

Plant once the soil has cooled below 60°F. Bulbs need 12–14 weeks of cold to flower in spring.

Type
Fall planted

Start dates by state

Alaska: Sep 6AKSep 6Maine: Oct 1MEOct 1Wisconsin: Oct 4WIOct 4Vermont: Oct 1VTOct 1New Hampshire: Sep 27NHSep 27Washington: Nov 9WANov 9Idaho: Oct 7IDOct 7Montana: Sep 23MTSep 23North Dakota: Sep 18NDSep 18Minnesota: Oct 2MNOct 2Illinois: Oct 22ILOct 22Michigan: Oct 11MIOct 11New York: Nov 5NYNov 5Massachusetts: Oct 26MAOct 26Oregon: Nov 17ORNov 17Nevada: Dec 15NVDec 15Wyoming: Sep 17WYSep 17South Dakota: Sep 29SDSep 29Iowa: Oct 6IAOct 6Indiana: Oct 7INOct 7Ohio: Oct 10OHOct 10Pennsylvania: Nov 3PANov 3New Jersey: Oct 23NJOct 23Connecticut: Oct 23CTOct 23Rhode Island: Oct 16RIOct 16California: Dec 15CADec 15Utah: Oct 25UTOct 25Colorado: Sep 24COSep 24Nebraska: Oct 4NEOct 4Missouri: Oct 19MOOct 19Kentucky: Oct 18KYOct 18West Virginia: Oct 12WVOct 12Virginia: Oct 29VAOct 29Maryland: Nov 7MDNov 7Delaware: Oct 21DEOct 21Arizona: Dec 15AZDec 15New Mexico: Oct 6NMOct 6Kansas: Oct 15KSOct 15Arkansas: Oct 27AROct 27Tennessee: Oct 17TNOct 17North Carolina: Oct 20NCOct 20South Carolina: Dec 15SCDec 15District of Columbia: Oct 25DCOct 25Oklahoma: Oct 19OKOct 19Louisiana: Dec 15LADec 15Mississippi: Nov 5MSNov 5Alabama: Oct 25ALOct 25Georgia: Oct 25GAOct 25Hawaii: frost-freeHInoneTexas: Dec 15TXDec 15Florida: Dec 15FLDec 15
Before FebFebruaryMarchAprilMayJune or later
When the main planting window opens in each state's largest city. Click a state for every city.
StateLargest cityWindow
AlabamaHuntsvilleOct 25 to Nov 29
AlaskaAnchorageSep 6 to Oct 11
ArizonaPhoenixDec 15 to Jan 15
ArkansasLittle RockOct 27 to Dec 1
CaliforniaSan JoseDec 15 to Jan 15
ColoradoDenverSep 24 to Oct 29
ConnecticutBridgeportOct 23 to Nov 27
DelawareWilmingtonOct 21 to Nov 25
District of ColumbiaWashingtonOct 25 to Nov 29
FloridaJacksonvilleDec 15 to Jan 15
GeorgiaAtlantaOct 25 to Nov 29
Hawaiino frost date
IdahoBoise CityOct 7 to Nov 11
IllinoisChicagoOct 22 to Nov 26
IndianaIndianapolisOct 7 to Nov 11
IowaDes MoinesOct 6 to Nov 10
KansasWichitaOct 15 to Nov 19
KentuckyLouisville/Jefferson CountyOct 18 to Nov 22
LouisianaNew OrleansDec 15 to Jan 15
MainePortlandOct 1 to Nov 5
MarylandBaltimoreNov 7 to Dec 12
MassachusettsBostonOct 26 to Nov 30
MichiganDetroitOct 11 to Nov 15
MinnesotaMinneapolisOct 2 to Nov 6
MississippiJacksonNov 5 to Dec 10
MissouriKansas CityOct 19 to Nov 23
MontanaBillingsSep 23 to Oct 28
NebraskaOmahaOct 4 to Nov 8
NevadaLas VegasDec 15 to Jan 15
New HampshireManchesterSep 27 to Nov 1
New JerseyNewarkOct 23 to Nov 27
New MexicoAlbuquerqueOct 6 to Nov 10
New YorkNew YorkNov 5 to Dec 10
North CarolinaCharlotteOct 20 to Nov 24
North DakotaFargoSep 18 to Oct 23
OhioColumbusOct 10 to Nov 14
OklahomaOklahoma CityOct 19 to Nov 23
OregonPortlandNov 17 to Dec 15
PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaNov 3 to Dec 8
Rhode IslandProvidenceOct 16 to Nov 20
South CarolinaCharlestonDec 15 to Jan 15
South DakotaSioux FallsSep 29 to Nov 3
TennesseeNashvilleOct 17 to Nov 21
TexasHoustonDec 15 to Jan 15
UtahSalt Lake CityOct 25 to Nov 29
VermontBurlingtonOct 1 to Nov 5
VirginiaVirginia BeachOct 29 to Dec 3
WashingtonSeattleNov 9 to Dec 14
West VirginiaCharlestonOct 12 to Nov 16
WisconsinMilwaukeeOct 4 to Nov 8
WyomingCheyenneSep 17 to Oct 22

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