Early autumn gives us the green light to plant spring bulbs like daffodils and crocuses – but can you plant tulip bulbs in September?
Well, the rules for tulips are slightly different. The best time to plant tulip bulbs is generally mid- to late autumn, after the weather cools down. Since we’re on the climbdown from a summer of heatwaves, the ground is still far too warm – and planting too early can have serious drawbacks for your bulbs.
Wondering why September is too early to plant tulip bulbs? I spoke to the experts to find out.
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So, can you plant tulip bulbs in September? Although it’s the ideal time to starting planting other spring bulbs, we’re a little ahead of the ideal planting window for tulips. As a general rule, it’s best to wait until at least the middle of autumn.
‘Tulips are generally best planted in mid- to late autumn, once temperatures have cooled but while the soil is still workable,’ says Paul Parker from plants and bulbs specialist J. Parker’s.
‘So, during mild Septembers, it may not be the optimum conditions for planting tulips.’
This September is especially mild, since we’re winding down from a very hot summer – so it’s even more important that you hold off planting this month.
‘Planting later can help avoid some of the problems associated with warm, damp conditions and gives bulbs the cool period they need for strong spring growth,’ explains Paul.
Most notably, there’s the risk of tulip fire disease. It’s most commonly associated with planting your tulip bulbs too early.
‘The disease can cause distorted leaves and brown spotting, and spreads particularly readily in damp, humid conditions,’ warns Paul. ‘To reduce the risk of this, it’s best to hold out until the temperature drops in mid-autumn before planting tulips.’
Planting your tulip bulbs at the right depth will also determine how well your bulbs perform.
‘In most of the UK, September is probably a bit on the early side to plant tulips,’ agrees Topher Martyn, head gardener at Syon Park. ‘It is, however, the perfect time to look through catalogues or to visit your garden centre and decide what you want to grow.’
There are plenty of bulbs you can order in September for pretty pink spring blooms in 2027, and a spectrum of other colours to suit any other garden planting scheme you have in mind, too. I’ve got my eye on ‘Tulip ‘Dreamer’, which you can order from Thompson & Morgan.
Storage is key – if you’re ordering your tulip bulbs now, you’ll need to make sure they’re sitting comfortably until it’s time to plant them.
‘If you’ve bought your bulbs early, don’t leave them in their packaging for months,’ advises Ross Dyke, horticulturist, founder of Get Children Growing, and host of The Plant Pod. ‘Keep them somewhere cool and dry and plant them when appropriate.’
Bulb planting essentials
For when you *can* plant your tulip bulbs!
Kent & Stowe
Hand Bulb Planter
A bulb planter with a handy measurement scale on the side.
Burgon & Ball
RHS Long Handle Bulb Planter
Or, go for a long-handled bulb planter.
Jamieson Brothers
Bulb Planting Compost
This bulb compost feeds bulbs for up to six months.
Hold off on planting your tulip bulbs until mid-autumn at the very earliest if you want successful spring displays.
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