Greenly Garden
Get the app
EN

When to plant crocuses in Cusco: by 16 May

In Cusco, crocus: plant by 16 May. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

Crocus in Cusco: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in July, average 2 °C.

Plantingby 16 May
First autumn frost15 June
Coldest nightsJuly, 2 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in springalready in the first week of July
Daylight11:29 on 16 May
Daylight at the winter solstice11:20

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

Crocus in Cusco: 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 Cusco the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 21 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

Around Cusco, Potosí is 133 days earlier and San Juan 5 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Ayacucho247 kmby 1 May15 days earlier
Puno332 kmby 26 March51 days earlier
La Paz527 kmby 21 March56 days earlier
Oruro719 kmby 31 March46 days earlier
Potosí944 km3 January – end of June133 days earlier
San Juan2,033 kmby 21 May5 days later

Where to buy crocus for planting in Cusco

Planting stock goes into the ground by 16 May; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Cusco OpenStreetMap lists 9 farm-supply shops and 23 markets (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant crocuses in Cusco?

In Cusco, crocus: plant by 16 May. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

When is the last spring frost in Cusco?

Last spring frost around 3 August, first autumn frost around 15 June.

Other crops in Cusco, with their dates