When to plant tulips
Short answer
Plant tulips about 1 week after your first fall frost. In a mid climate (zone 5) that's around Nov 1. Enter your ZIP for your exact dates.
| Climate zone | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | Dec 27 | Jun 25 (next yr) |
| Zone 2 | — | Dec 12 | Jun 10 (next yr) |
| Zone 3 | — | Dec 2 | May 31 (next yr) |
| Zone 4 | — | Nov 17 | May 16 (next yr) |
| Zone 5 | — | Nov 1 | Apr 30 (next yr) |
| Zone 6 | — | Oct 17 | Apr 15 (next yr) |
| Zone 7 | — | Oct 2 | Mar 31 (next yr) |
| Zone 8 | — | Sep 12 | Mar 11 (next yr) |
Higher climate-zone numbers are colder, so planting shifts later. Tulips is a hardy crop. Enter your ZIP in the calculator for your exact zone and dates.
Your exact dates
Open the planting calendarOther crops
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant tulips?
Plant tulips about 1 week after your first fall frost. That's around Nov 17 in zone 4 and Oct 17 in zone 6.
How is tulips planted?
Tulips is planted directly in fall — as bulbs or cloves — not started indoors.
How long until tulips blooms?
About 180 days from planting until first bloom, the following year. In zone 6, tulips planted around Oct 17 is typically blooming near Apr 15 (next yr).