When to plant crocuses in Nizhny Novgorod: 18 September – 29 October

In Nizhny Novgorod, crocus: plant from 18 September to about 29 October.

Bulbs are best planted early in the window: late-planted bulbs may flower later or less well. Late planting works only while the soil can be dug. Mulch after planting.

The date is about two weeks before the average daily temperature here falls below 0 °C (ten years of weather): an estimate, not the day the ground freezes, and a cold spell can freeze it earlier. Sources: Iowa State University Extension, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, UNH Extension, RHS, how the ground freezes (NRC Canada, CBD-26).

Crocus in Nizhny Novgorod: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in November–March; the coldest, January, averages -11 °C.

Planting	18 September – 29 October
First autumn frost	18 October
Coldest nights	January, -11 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	8 April
Daylight	12:36 on 18 September
Daylight at the winter solstice	6:52

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

Crocus in Nizhny Novgorod: 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 Nizhny Novgorod the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 31 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 earlier than Nizhny Novgorod; the closest date is in Cheboksary, 1 day earlier.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Ivanovo	200 km	11 September – 28 October	7 days earlier
Cheboksary	202 km	17 September – 27 October	1 day earlier
Vladimir	223 km	15 September – 30 October	3 days earlier
Yoshkar-Ola	241 km	12 September – 24 October	6 days earlier
Saransk	250 km	14 September – 29 October	4 days earlier
Yaroslavl	289 km	10 September – 29 October	8 days earlier

Where to buy crocus for planting in Nizhny Novgorod

Planting stock goes into the ground from 18 September to about 29 October; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Nizhny Novgorod OpenStreetMap lists 19 garden centres, 5 plant nurseries, 17 markets and 62 farm shops (collected 7 October 2026).

Questions