DibbleGrowing tulips: from seed to harvest
Plant tulip bulbs 6 weeks before your first fall frost, pointy end up, so roots establish before winter. They bloom the following spring.
Planting dates for tulips by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | not needed | August 4 | December 2 |
| Zone 4 | not needed | August 10 | December 8 |
| Zone 5 | not needed | August 20 | December 18 |
| Zone 6 | not needed | September 5 | January 3 |
| Zone 7 | not needed | September 17 | January 15 |
| Zone 8 | not needed | September 26 | January 24 |
| Zone 9 | not needed | October 20 | February 17 |
| Zone 10 | not needed | November 3 | March 3 |
| Zone 11 | not needed | November 19 | March 19 |
These dates use typical frost dates for each zone. Dibble tunes them to your exact ZIP and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Companion plants
Good neighbors for Tulip:
Family and rotation
Tulip is in the lilies family. Bulb flowers, rotate to avoid bulb rot buildup. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Dahlia
When to plantZinnia
When to plantSunflower
When to plantMarigold
When to plantCosmos
When to plantNasturtium
When to plant
Questions
When should I plant tulips?
It depends on your zone. Tulip is a hardy crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and enter your ZIP to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow tulips?
About 120 days from planting to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 21 days after that.
What grows well with tulips?
Good companions include daffodil.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.