There aren't many gardening jobs where a little effort in autumn brings quite as much reward as planting spring bulbs.
At a time when the garden is starting to slow down, it's lovely to think ahead to those first splashes of colour appearing next year. Snowdrops and crocus can get things started, followed by daffodils, tulips and alliums as spring gathers pace.
But one of the questions our plant team gets asked every autumn is:
When should you actually plant spring bulbs in the UK?
The simple answer is autumn, but the best month depends on which bulbs you're planting.
Here's our guide.
When is the best time to plant spring bulbs in the UK?
For most spring-flowering bulbs, the main planting season runs from September through to November.
As a general guide:
Spring bulb |
Best time to plant |
| Daffodils / Narcissus | September |
| Crocus | September to October |
| Hyacinths | September to October |
| Alliums | September to October |
| Snowdrops | September to November |
| Tulips | October to November, ideally November |
There is some flexibility here. Gardening rarely works to an exact calendar, particularly with the British weather.
What matters most is getting bulbs into the ground while the soil is still workable and before prolonged winter conditions arrive.
There's one notable exception: tulips are generally better planted later than most other spring bulbs.
More on those shortly.
Why do you plant spring bulbs in autumn?
It can feel slightly strange buying something in September that you won't see flower until March or April, but autumn planting gives bulbs exactly what they need.
Once planted, bulbs begin establishing roots in the cooler soil. They'll then spend the winter below ground before warmer temperatures and increasing daylight encourage growth in spring.
That's why autumn is such an important planting season.
And the good news is that bulbs are one of the easiest ways to add colour to the garden. Once they're in, nature does most of the work.
When should you plant daffodil bulbs?
September is the ideal month to plant daffodil bulbs in the UK.
Daffodils, or Narcissus, are some of the most reliable spring bulbs you can grow. They're equally happy in borders, containers and naturalised through lawns or grassy areas.
Earlier planting gives them plenty of time to establish roots before winter.
If October arrives and you've still got a bag of daffodil bulbs sitting in the shed, don't panic. It's generally better to get them planted than leave them sitting around for another year.
Our advice would simply be: once you've bought them, don't forget about them.
Daffodils also work brilliantly when several varieties are planted together. By choosing early, mid and late-flowering varieties, you can extend the display from late winter well into spring.
When should you plant tulip bulbs?
Tulips are the spring bulb we'd usually tell customers not to rush.
Although tulip bulbs can be planted throughout autumn, November is often the ideal time to plant tulips in the UK.
Waiting until the soil has cooled can reduce the risk of tulip fire, a fungal disease that can affect leaves and flowers.
So if you've spent September planting daffodils and crocus but haven't touched your tulips yet, that's absolutely fine.
In fact, saving the tulips for later gives you another excuse to get out into the garden when most of the autumn jobs are finishing.
A tip from our plant team
One of the easiest mistakes to make is trying to plant every bulb at once.
Our Plant Area Manager, Lucy, recommends treating tulips separately:
“I'd always tell customers not to worry if their tulips haven't gone in at the same time as their daffodils. Get your daffodils and the earlier bulbs planted first, then come back to the tulips once the weather and soil have cooled down. November is a great time for them.”
When should you plant crocus bulbs?
Plant crocus bulbs during September and October for flowers in late winter and early spring.
Crocus are a brilliant choice if you're looking for some of the earliest colour of the year.
They work well at the front of borders, beneath deciduous shrubs and trees, through areas of grass and in pots.
Planting several together usually creates a much stronger display than scattering individual bulbs around the garden.
They're also particularly welcome when very little else is flowering.
When should you plant allium bulbs?
September and October are ideal months for planting allium bulbs.
Alliums flower later than many traditional spring bulbs, usually bridging the gap between spring and early summer.
Their tall stems and distinctive globe-shaped flowers are brilliant for adding height to borders, and many varieties are attractive to bees and other pollinators.
They generally prefer:
- a sunny position;
- free-draining soil;
- somewhere that won't remain waterlogged through winter.
Alliums look particularly good planted through perennial borders, where other plants eventually grow around their stems.
When should you plant hyacinth bulbs?
Garden hyacinths can generally be planted during September and October.
Their highly scented flowers make them particularly good near paths, doors and seating areas where you'll actually get to enjoy the fragrance.
They're also an excellent choice for pots.
If you're buying specially prepared hyacinths for indoor Christmas displays, however, the planting and growing process is different, so always check the variety and instructions on the pack.
Is September too early to plant spring bulbs?
For most spring-flowering bulbs, September is an excellent time to start.
Daffodils in particular benefit from going into the ground during September.
It's also a good month to buy bulbs because you'll normally find the widest choice of varieties available at the start of the season.
You don't necessarily need to plant everything the day you buy it. If you're waiting to plant tulips, for example, keep the bulbs somewhere cool, dry and well ventilated until you're ready.
Avoid storing them somewhere damp or sealed in plastic for long periods.
Is October a good month to plant bulbs?
Absolutely.
October is probably one of the busiest months for bulb planting in UK gardens.
You can still plant:
- daffodils;
- crocus;
- hyacinths;
- alliums;
- many other spring-flowering bulbs.
And by later October you can start thinking about tulips too.
If you're planning a large spring display, October is often the perfect time to tackle it.
Can you plant spring bulbs in November?
Yes.
November is still an excellent planting month, particularly for tulips.
Many other spring bulbs can also still be planted if you didn't manage to get them in earlier.
We'd much rather see bulbs planted slightly later than recommended than left forgotten in a packet until spring.
As long as the ground isn't frozen or completely waterlogged, you've usually still got an opportunity to get them planted.
Is December too late to plant spring bulbs?
Not necessarily.
If you've discovered an unopened bag of bulbs in December, don't automatically throw them away.
Tulips in particular can still be planted quite late, and other bulbs may also perform perfectly well.
The longer dry bulbs are stored, though, the greater the chance of them deteriorating or giving a poorer display.
So our rule is simple:
If the bulbs are healthy and the ground is workable, get them planted.
They'll have a much better chance in the soil than sitting in the shed.
How deep should you plant spring bulbs?
A useful rule for most bulbs is to plant them at around two to three times the depth of the bulb itself.
So, if a bulb is roughly 5cm tall, you're generally looking at a planting depth of around 10–15cm.
Place the bulb with the pointed end facing upwards, then cover it gently with soil.
Don't worry too much if you're not millimetre-perfect. Bulbs are remarkably forgiving.
Lucy's advice
“People sometimes get nervous about planting bulbs at exactly the right depth, but it doesn't need to be complicated. As a rule, aim for around two to three times the height of the bulb and make sure you've got the pointed end upwards. The more important thing is choosing somewhere that doesn't sit wet all winter.”
How far apart should spring bulbs be planted?
For borders, spacing bulbs at around twice their own width apart is a useful starting point.
But don't feel you need to arrange them in neat rows.
Spring bulbs normally look much more natural planted in informal groups or drifts.
One trick our plant team often recommends is to gently scatter a handful of bulbs onto the soil and plant them roughly where they land.
It avoids that overly regimented look and gives the display a much more natural feel.
Where is the best place to plant spring bulbs?
Most popular spring bulbs enjoy a position with:
- plenty of light;
- reasonably free-draining soil;
- no prolonged winter waterlogging.
Daffodils are particularly versatile and will tolerate a range of conditions.
Tulips and alliums generally perform best somewhere sunnier and well drained.
You can plant spring bulbs amongst existing perennials too. This works really well because the bulbs provide colour early in the season, while the emerging perennial foliage later helps disguise bulb leaves as they die back.
Can you plant spring bulbs in pots?
Definitely.
In fact, planting bulbs in pots is one of our favourite autumn jobs at the Old Railway Line.
Containers are ideal if you're short on border space or simply want to bring spring colour closer to the house.
You can place them:
- either side of a front door;
- on patios;
- near seating areas;
- along pathways;
- around balconies or smaller gardens.
Choose a pot with good drainage and use a suitable peat-free compost.
Pots can also be planted more densely than bulbs in the ground if you're creating a temporary spring display.
Try a bulb lasagne for months of colour
If you've got one large container, try planting several different bulbs in layers – often known as a bulb lasagne.
Despite the name, there's no pasta involved.
The idea is simply to plant later-flowering or larger bulbs deeper in the pot, with smaller and earlier-flowering bulbs above them.
For example:
Bottom layer: Tulips
Middle layer: Daffodils
Top layer: Crocus
The bulbs grow past one another and flower at different times, giving you several waves of colour from the same pot.
Finish the top with winter bedding such as violas or pansies and you've got something to enjoy while you wait for the bulbs underneath.
It's a brilliant option for doorsteps and patios.
How many bulbs should you plant together?
When it comes to bulbs, we'd usually say be generous.
A few isolated bulbs dotted around a border can disappear visually. Planting them in groups creates much more impact.
For smaller bulbs such as crocus, a group of 10, 20 or more can look fantastic.
For larger daffodils and tulips, clusters of five, seven or more tend to look more natural than single plants.
If you're planting a large area, repeating the same variety several times can help tie the whole border together.
Which spring bulbs should you choose?
There's an enormous range available, so start by thinking about when you'd like colour.
For the earliest spring colour
Try:
- snowdrops;
- crocus;
- early Narcissus.
For classic spring colour
Try:
- daffodils;
- hyacinths;
- early tulips.
For later spring colour
Try:
- late tulips;
- alliums;
- Camassia.
Planting a mixture is one of the easiest ways to keep something flowering for as long as possible.
Don't forget about pollinators
Spring bulbs aren't only about creating a colourful garden.
Early-flowering varieties can also provide valuable food for pollinating insects emerging at a time when nectar sources can still be limited.
Crocus are a particularly useful addition, along with several species of allium and other early-flowering bulbs.
Mixing bulbs with other pollinator-friendly plants can help create a garden that looks good while supporting wildlife too.
What should you do after spring bulbs finish flowering?
Once the flowers have faded, remove the spent flower heads if needed but leave the foliage in place.
Those leaves are still working.
They're using sunlight to replenish the bulb's energy reserves ready for next year's flowers.
Wait until the foliage has naturally turned yellow and died back before removing it.
It isn't always the prettiest stage of bulb growing, which is another reason we like planting bulbs among perennials. As the perennial plants grow, they help hide the fading foliage.
Our favourite approach to spring bulbs
If you're not sure where to start, keep things simple.
Plant daffodils and crocus during September, add alliums through September and October, then save your tulips until later in autumn.
Mix different flowering times and don't be afraid to plant plenty.
As Lucy puts it:
“Bulbs are one of the best-value ways of creating a big change in the garden. You put them in when the garden is starting to quieten down and then almost forget about them. When they start appearing in spring, you're always glad you made the effort.”
And we couldn't agree more.
Spring bulbs at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre
Our spring bulb range arrives ready for the autumn planting season, with plenty of choice for borders, pots and naturalised planting.
Whether you're looking for traditional daffodils, colourful tulips, crocus, alliums or something a little different, our plant team is always happy to help you choose varieties that will work well in your garden.
Our best advice? Buy your favourites while the choice is good, get the early bulbs planted during September and keep a few tulips back for November.
Your spring garden will thank you for it.