Spring Bulbs to Plant This Fall

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty when you plant bulbs this fall, you'll be rewarded with bunches of flowers next spring. While your garden is cold and dreary, the bulbs will be forming roots and preparing to bloom when the weather warms up again.

Why Plant Spring Bulbs in the Fall?

Many bulbs need a period of cold temperatures to start the biochemical process that triggers flowering. Planting bulbs in the fall, before the ground freezes, gives them time to develop strong roots.

It's helpful to understand the growth cycle of spring bulbs. After they produce leaves and flowers, most go dormant. Let the foliage die back naturally, so photosynthesis can occur. That's the process the leaves use to absorb sunlight and convert it into energy for future flowers, and it's a necessary part of the cycle.

Fall planting affects bloom times and bulb health. If your falls and winters are warm, you may need to buy pre-chilled bulbs or chill them in your refrigerator to give them the necessary period of cold temperatures. Do some research to see which bulbs need pre-chilling, or choose cultivars recommended for your climate. If fall bulbs are planted too late, or they don't have an adequate cold period, they won't have time to develop good roots and may flower less or not at all.

How to Plant Spring Bulbs This Fall

Bulbs need well-draining soil, or their roots can rot. Prepare your soil by loosening and amending it, if needed, with compost or other organic matter to improve its drainage. Some gardeners like to mix bulb fertilizer into the loosened soil before planting, or you can apply it later for bulbs that need feeding. Use a well-draining potting mix for bulbs planted in containers.

What's the ideal planting depth and spacing for fall bulbs? As a rule of thumb, plant spring bulbs two or three times as deep as their height, or follow the directions that come with them. Space them as directed, too, or look for that information online. Depth and spacing vary according to their varieties and sizes; big daffodil bulbs might need 6 to 8 inches of space between them, while smaller summer snowflakes need 4 inches. Plant most bulbs with pointed tips so the tips face up.

After planting, water your bulbs to settle the soil and mulch them with 2 to 3 inches of organic materials to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Check the soil regularly and water again if it dries out, especially before or after a hard freeze. When the bulbs start growing, pull back the mulch and water weekly if there's not an inch or so of rain. Put the mulch back over them if a hard freeze threatens.

Explore our gallery of bulbs to plant in the fall for glorious springtime flowers, and then buy them early. Popular bulbs sell out fast.

Bearded iris (Iris germanica) can start blooming in late spring after they're planted in fall, and some flower into the summer. Bearded dwarf iris may be just 4 to 6 inches tall, while other varieties can grow 4 feet or more. They're available in a rainbow of hues, from purple-black, to bright yellow, to deep purple and other colors. Give them a spot with full sun to part shade; they're hardy in Zones 3 to 10. Pretty vase companions include peonies, lady's mantle and lavender.

You could almost mistake a heavily-petaled ranunculus (Ranunculus spp.) for a rose. Commonly called buttercups, they actually grow from corms, not bulbs, but like bulbs, they're planted in autumn for spring flowers. Before planting, soak them in lukewarm water for a few hours to plump them up. Then, place them with the "claws" facing down, 2 to 3 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. They're perennials in USDA Gardening Zones 8 to 10 and usually grown as annuals in Zones 4 to 7.

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are tropical bulbs that are often potted and forced into bloom as houseplants during the winter. But these nearly carefree beauties can be grown outdoors, directly in the garden, in Zones 9 to 11, and they'll come back as perennials. (Even in those zones, they'll benefit from some extra mulch for protection from the cold.) Plant them outdoors the same way they're planted in containers, leaving 1/3 of the bulb sticking up out of the ground. Give them partial shade; too much sun can burn them, and too little reduces flowering. Space them 12 to 15 inches apart and keep them moist while they're actively growing. Cut off the stalks when the flowers fade, and expect the foliage to last for most of the summer, or until it's hit by frost. Amaryllis typically reach 18 to 36 inches high.

Fall-planted Dutch iris (Iris x hollandica) are easy to grow and produce orchid-like flowers in colors like pale yellow, blue and white. Get the bulbs into the ground before your first hard freeze and give them full sun to partial shade. Plant them 5 inches deep and 4 inches apart. Snip the flowers as desired, but let the leaves die back naturally. The bulbs are winter hardy in Zones 6 to 9; they sometimes return as perennials in Zone 5 if they're grown under a protective cover of mulch in the winter. Otherwise, enjoy them as annuals. At 18 to 24 inches tall, they're lovely in containers or middle-of-the-garden beds and borders.

Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) are related to paperwhites and jonquils. Most of us think of them as big, trumpet-shaped, yellow flowers, but they're also available in white, cream and shades of orange and pink, and as miniatures that grow just 4 inches tall, to varieties that reach 24 inches. Plant daffodil bulbs with staggered bloom times, and you can have spring flowers for 4 to 6 weeks. They need full sun but tolerate partial shade; try them in yards, gardens or containers. They're hardy in Zones 3 to 8, and after the foliage emerges, it can stand up to occasional freezing temperatures or snow.

Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) bulbs are fragrant, easy-to-grow relatives of daffodils. If you live in a warm climate (Zones 8 to 11), plant them outdoors in the fall, tucking them about 6 inches deep and 4 inches apart in the ground. They'll also bloom indoors in late winter in containers of potting mix or jars of water. Unlike many spring bulbs, they don't need a period of cold. As their name implies, most paperwhites have white flowers, but there are cultivars with orange, yellow and bi-colored blooms. Most top out at 12 to 18 inches high.

Even though alliums (Allium spp.) are related to onions and garlic, you probably won’t smell them in your garden unless you crush their leaves or stems. In the fall, plant the bulbs in full sun and well-drained soil about 6 inches deep and 12 to 14 inches apart. Place the pointed ends up. With their long, slender stems, these flowering onions are great for a cutting garden, and their globe-shaped flowers are available in purple, pink, white, yellow and blue. Some alliums mature at just 5 inches tall while others shoot up to 4 feet high. Leave the foliage alone after the flowers finish. It'll turn yellow by mid-summer when the bulbs go dormant. Most alliums are winter hardy in Zones 3 to 8.

Sweetly-scented common freesias (Freesia refracta) belong to the iris family. Botanically speaking, they grow from corms, but like bulbs, they grow best in spring when temperatures rise to about 55 to 60 degrees F.. The flowers stop when the mercury climbs above 70 degrees. Like bulbs, they're best planted in the fall in Zones 9 or 10, where they are winter hardy. Place them about one to one-and-a-half inches deep in the ground with the pointed ends up or grow them in containers. In Zones 3 to 8, treat them like annuals or dig them up before the first frost, let them dry and store them in sand or peat moss in a cool, dark, dry location. Freesias can grow 12 to 24 inches tall.

If you’re having trouble finding true-blue flowers for your garden, look for Muscari armeniacum, or grape hyacinths. Hardy in Zones 4 to 8, these little bulbs, which bloom in white, purple, blue, pink and yellow, hold their flowers in clusters, like grapes, which gives them their common name. They mix beautifully with other spring-blooming flowers, such as daffodils and tulips. Plant them in the fall in a spot that gets full to partial sun, 2 to 3 inches deep, spacing them every 3 to 4 inches. Remove the green seed pods when the flowers finish, so they'll bloom more readily next year, but leave the grass-like foliage alone.

Perky snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are early spring flowers, sometimes even emerging from a thin layer of snow. Plant the little bulbs about 3 inches deep, with the tips up, and space them 3 inches apart in an area that gets sun to light shade. Use them as an edging for other plants, or grow them in groups placed close together for an informal look. As time goes by, they'll multiply by forming offsets (baby bulbs) that you can dig up, separate and re-plant. They're hardy in Zones 3 to 8. While deer usually leave them alone, snowdrops can attract early pollinators.

Hyacinths, or common hyacinths, (Hyacinth orientalis) fill the spring garden with intoxicating perfume. Start your bulbs in the fall, planting them 7 to 8 inches deep in soil mixed with lots of good organic matter. The planting site should drain easily, so the bulbs won’t rot in soggy soil or standing water. Mulch them if you live where the winters are very cold, or where the ground might freeze in early spring. As with other bulbs, don’t remove the foliage when the flowers fade. Let the leaves grow until they die back naturally. Hyacinths like these grow 6 to 12 inches tall.

Most Scilla spp., commonly called Squill, are blue, but you can find them in white, purple and pink. Scilla bulbs are great for growing in lawns or under a canopy of trees or shrubs, where they'll naturalize easily; in fact, species like S. siberica, which are bright blue, spread fast and are sometimes considered invasive. In mid to late fall, tuck the bulbs into the ground 2 to 3 inches deep and 3 to 4 inches apart. They dislike heavy clay and waterlogged soil, so amend yours as needed to improve drainage. For a natural look, scatter the bulbs and plant them where they land. Let the foliage die naturally. Scilla are suitable for growing in containers that have drainage holes. Many species are hardy in Zones 4 to 8, but check the variety you're growing. Siberian squill, S. siberica, is hardy to Zone 2.

Tulips (Tulipa) come in hundreds of varieties. Some have single or double blooms; some are multicolored or one color and some have fringed or fringeless flowers; there are many variations. Plant tulip bulbs with their pointed ends up in soil mixed with good organic matter like aged manure or compost. They grow best in a spot that has dry soil during the summer, when they go dormant. Place large bulbs 8 to 10 inches deep and smaller ones 5 to 6 inches deep. Water thoroughly after planting and again when they sprout, but avoid overwatering. Cut the stems to the base when the flowers finish, and wait until the foliage turns brown before removing it. Many tulips are winter hardy in Zones 3 to 8; in warmer zones, they usually require pre-chilling, or they'll behave like annuals. Choose tulips with staggered bloom times to keep the flowers coming from early to late spring, and use a potting mix if you grow them in containers.

Plant crocus (Crocus spp.), which are technically corms, in the fall for pops of spring color. Use them in an area where the foliage can remain until it turns brown naturally. If you plant crocus in a lawn, stop mowing until the foliage dies, or they won't come back, or simply let the thin, narrow leaves blend in with the grass. Hardy in Zones 3 to 8, crocuses come in white, orange, purple, blue and other colors and prefer full sun to partial shade. Place them 2 to 3 inches deep and 2 to 3 inches apart, or scatter them for a natural look. Crocuses can grow 6 inches tall.

Anemone blandas grow from corms, not bulbs, and are planted in fall for the daisy-like, blue and purple flowers held on their slender stems. Also known as Grecian windflowers, Anemones thrive in light shade or in full sun in cool climates. Before planting, soak the corms in water for 3 or 4 hours to plump them up. Then, plant them 3 inches deep and 3 to 4 inches apart from center to center. Place the corms with the pointed ends down--not up, like many other spring flowering bulbs--in soil that drains easily. This Anemone species grows 6 to 8 inches tall with soft, fern-like foliage, which should be left to die on its own.

With their dainty, bell-shaped blooms, these checkered fritillarias (Fritillaria meleagris) thrive in full sun to partial shade and reach about 10 inches tall. Also called snake's head fritillaries, they need soil that drains easily, but it should stay consistently moist during the growing season. Never let it become soggy. After the flowers finish, the bulbs go dormant, so allow the bluish-green foliage to die on its own. This fritillary should be planted 3 inches deep and looks best in groups of 6 or more. Use it in beds, borders, containers, rock gardens, meadows and cottage gardens. It's hardy in Zones 3 to 8, although some sources say Zones 3 to 10.

Clusters of these snowy-white flowers appear around the time temperatures start to climb in mid to late spring. Leucojum aestivum, or summer snowflakes, boast charming green dots on the tips of their petals and grow 12 to 18 inches tall. They'll multiply when grown in part to full sun and soil that drains easily. Plant these easy-to-grow lovelies with the pointed ends up, 4 to 6 inches deep, in groups of 15 to 20 bulbs for the best show and allow the green leaves to die when they're ready. Feed the bulbs with a slow-release fertilizer that's high in phosphorus about every two years, and divide the clumps about every 5 years. Summer snowflakes, which are hardy in Zones 3 to 9, don't do well in containers.