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When to plant crocuses in Canberra: by 30 April

In Canberra, crocus: plant by 30 April. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

Crocus in Canberra: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in July, average 2.2 °C.

Plantingby 30 April
First autumn frost30 May
Coldest nightsJuly, 2.2 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in springalready in the first week of July
Daylight10:43 on 30 April
Daylight at the winter solstice9:46

The same dates in Canberra hold for Garlic, Tulip, Daffodil and Hyacinth.

Crocus in Canberra: depth, winter cold, pests and pets

Plant Dutch crocuses (Crocus vernus) about 12 cm deep and 9 cm apart; smaller species go 7–10 cm deep (RHS).

In Canberra the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 18 weeks a year (our estimate from ten years of monthly weather). For this bulb Wisconsin Horticulture Extension gives a cold period of 15–17 weeks at about 2–10 °C. The winter here gives that in the ground, so the bulbs need no pre-chilling.

Crocuses multiply on their own (they naturalise); in a lawn, hold off mowing until their leaves die back (RHS).

Birds, squirrels and rodents damage crocuses; planting under metal mesh may reduce losses (RHS). Spring crocus gives dogs and cats vomiting and diarrhoea; do not confuse it with autumn crocus (Colchicum), which is very toxic (Pet Poison Helpline).

Sources: RHS, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, Pet Poison Helpline.

Crocus in nearby cities

All the nearest cities on our list plant crocus later than Canberra; the closest date is in Orange, 14 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Albury218 kmby 21 May21 days later
Orange222 kmby 14 May14 days later
Dubbo339 kmby 20 May20 days later
Bendigo466 kmby 20 May20 days later
Melbourne467 kmby 26 May26 days later
Ballarat537 kmby 20 May20 days later

Where to buy crocus for planting in Canberra

Planting stock goes into the ground by 30 April; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Canberra OpenStreetMap lists 12 garden centres, 2 plant nurseries and 2 markets (collected 7 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant crocuses in Canberra?

In Canberra, crocus: plant by 30 April. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

When is the last spring frost in Canberra?

Last spring frost around 18 September, first autumn frost around 30 May.

Other crops in Canberra, with their dates