When to plant tulip bulbs in New York

Fall planting in New York

Nov 5–Dec 10

Across New York the window opens between September 14 and November 5. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average first fall frost.

Fall planting, New York: Nov 5–Dec 10
Last frost, New York: Apr 1

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.

Tulip bulbs planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

New YorkNov 5–Dec 10

BuffaloOct 12–Nov 16

YonkersOct 12–Nov 16

RochesterOct 11–Nov 15

SyracuseOct 5–Nov 9

AlbanyOct 1–Nov 5

New RochelleOct 12–Nov 16

CheektowagaOct 12–Nov 16

Mount VernonNov 2–Dec 7

SchenectadyOct 1–Nov 5

UticaSep 29–Nov 3

White PlainsOct 17–Nov 21

HempsteadOct 29–Dec 3

Tonawanda TownOct 1–Nov 5

LevittownOct 28–Dec 2

TroyOct 12–Nov 16

IrondequoitOct 11–Nov 15

Niagara FallsOct 11–Nov 15

Kiryas JoelOct 18–Nov 22

BinghamtonSep 27–Nov 1

West SenecaOct 12–Nov 16

FreeportOct 25–Nov 29

HicksvilleOct 29–Dec 3

West BabylonOct 23–Nov 27

CoramOct 24–Nov 28

Valley StreamOct 31–Dec 5

Central IslipOct 19–Nov 23

BrightonOct 11–Nov 15

ElmontOct 31–Dec 5

CommackOct 27–Dec 1

All 89 cities

City	Fall planting	Last frost
New York	Nov 5 to Dec 10	Apr 1
Buffalo	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 24
Yonkers	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 20
Rochester	Oct 11 to Nov 15	Apr 24
Syracuse	Oct 5 to Nov 9	Apr 29
Albany	Oct 1 to Nov 5	Apr 27
New Rochelle	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 20
Cheektowaga	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 24
Mount Vernon	Nov 2 to Dec 7	Apr 1
Schenectady	Oct 1 to Nov 5	Apr 27
Utica	Sep 29 to Nov 3	May 1
White Plains	Oct 17 to Nov 21	Apr 12
Hempstead	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Tonawanda Town	Oct 1 to Nov 5	May 6
Levittown	Oct 28 to Dec 2	Apr 3
Troy	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 19
Irondequoit	Oct 11 to Nov 15	Apr 24
Niagara Falls	Oct 11 to Nov 15	Apr 26
Kiryas Joel	Oct 18 to Nov 22	Apr 10
Binghamton	Sep 27 to Nov 1	May 2
West Seneca	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 24
Freeport	Oct 25 to Nov 29	Apr 7
Hicksville	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
West Babylon	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
Coram	Oct 24 to Nov 28	Apr 4
Valley Stream	Oct 31 to Dec 5	Apr 2
Central Islip	Oct 19 to Nov 23	Apr 10
Brighton	Oct 11 to Nov 15	Apr 24
Elmont	Oct 31 to Dec 5	Apr 2
Commack	Oct 27 to Dec 1	Apr 9
East Meadow	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Long Beach	Oct 25 to Nov 29	Apr 7
Spring Valley	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 20
New City	Oct 5 to Nov 9	Apr 25
Uniondale	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Ithaca	Sep 19 to Oct 24	May 11
Baldwin	Oct 25 to Nov 29	Apr 7
Huntington Station	Oct 27 to Dec 1	Apr 9
Poughkeepsie	Oct 7 to Nov 11	Apr 21
Port Chester	Oct 17 to Nov 21	Apr 12
Harrison	Oct 17 to Nov 21	Apr 12
Oceanside	Oct 25 to Nov 29	Apr 7
Rome	Sep 29 to Nov 3	May 6
Centereach	Oct 19 to Nov 23	Apr 10
Bay Shore	Oct 28 to Dec 2	Apr 4
Franklin Square	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Middletown	Oct 8 to Nov 12	Apr 21
North Tonawanda	Oct 1 to Nov 5	May 6
Saratoga Springs	Sep 23 to Oct 28	May 2
Glen Cove	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Newburgh	Sep 27 to Nov 1	Apr 29
Shirley	Oct 14 to Nov 18	Apr 18
Monsey	Oct 9 to Nov 13	Apr 19
Jamestown	Sep 29 to Nov 3	May 8
Ossining	Oct 5 to Nov 9	Apr 25
Deer Park	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
Lindenhurst	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
West Islip	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
Holbrook	Oct 19 to Nov 23	Apr 10
Plainview	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
Elmira	Sep 27 to Nov 1	May 6
Auburn	Oct 4 to Nov 8	May 2
Peekskill	Oct 3 to Nov 7	Apr 30
Rockville Centre	Oct 25 to Nov 29	Apr 7
Medford	Oct 14 to Nov 18	Apr 18
Dix Hills	Oct 27 to Dec 1	Apr 9
Smithtown	Oct 19 to Nov 23	Apr 10
Kingston	Sep 14 to Oct 19	May 14
Watertown	Sep 29 to Nov 3	May 2
Copiague	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
Garden City	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Rotterdam	Oct 1 to Nov 5	Apr 27
Massapequa	Oct 28 to Dec 2	Apr 3
Merrick	Oct 28 to Dec 2	Apr 3
Selden	Oct 24 to Nov 28	Apr 4
Mineola	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
East Patchogue	Oct 19 to Nov 23	Apr 10
Lynbrook	Oct 25 to Nov 29	Apr 7
North Bellmore	Oct 28 to Dec 2	Apr 3
Niskayuna	Oct 1 to Nov 5	Apr 27
Hauppauge	Oct 19 to Nov 23	Apr 10
West Hempstead	Oct 29 to Dec 3	Apr 2
Eastchester	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 20
North Bay Shore	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
North Amityville	Oct 23 to Nov 27	Apr 6
Lockport	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 26
East Massapequa	Oct 28 to Dec 2	Apr 3
Huntington	Oct 27 to Dec 1	Apr 9
Nanuet	Oct 12 to Nov 16	Apr 20

Questions

When should I plant tulip bulbs in New York?

In New York, fall planting from November 5 to December 10. Across New York the window opens between September 14 and November 5, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Plant from 2 weeks before to 3 weeks after the first fall frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.