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When to plant crocuses in Florence: by 28 October

In Florence, crocus: plant by 28 October. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

Crocus in Florence: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 1.5 °C.

Plantingby 28 October
First autumn frost27 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, 1.5 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in springalready in the first week of January
Daylight10:27 on 28 October
Daylight at the winter solstice8:55

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

Crocus in Florence: 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 Florence 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

Around Florence, Pisa is 9 days earlier and San Marino 15 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Arezzo61 km22 October – end of December6 days earlier
Pisa69 km19 October – end of December9 days earlier
Bologna80 km30 October – end of December2 days later
San Marino97 kmby 12 November15 days later
Modena101 km31 October – end of December3 days later
Perugia117 km26 October – end of December2 days earlier

Where to buy crocus for planting in Florence

Planting stock goes into the ground by 28 October; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Florence OpenStreetMap lists 6 garden centres, 13 markets and 6 farm shops (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant crocuses in Florence?

In Florence, crocus: plant by 28 October. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit.

When is the last spring frost in Florence?

Last spring frost around 23 March, first autumn frost around 27 November.

Other crops in Florence, with their dates