Greenly Garden
Get the app
EN

When to plant daffodils in Detroit: 8 October – 7 December

In Detroit, daffodil: plant from 8 October to about 7 December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Fairlane Gardens Landscape Supply (garden centre, 12 km); addresses and opening hours are below.

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).

Daffodil in Detroit: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in December–March; the coldest, January, averages -5.8 °C.

Planting8 October – 7 December
First autumn frost7 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, -5.8 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring23 March
Daylight11:27 on 8 October
Daylight at the winter solstice9:05

The same dates in Detroit hold for Garlic, Tulip, Crocus and Hyacinth.

Daffodil in Detroit: depth, winter cold, pests and pets

Plant daffodils three times the bulb’s height deep (RHS): about 13–15 cm for large bulbs, 15–20 cm apart (University of Georgia Extension). The RHS advises planting them early in autumn, ideally in September in the UK, so do not leave them late: aim for the start of the window, 8 October.

In Detroit the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 25 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.

Daffodils are long-lived: clumps slowly expand over the years (RHS). Leave the leaves for at least eight weeks after flowering — they feed next year’s flowers (University of Georgia Extension).

Squirrels avoid daffodils, so they can be planted among tulips to reduce losses (RHS). Daffodils are toxic to dogs, cats and horses; the bulbs are the most poisonous part, and a large amount can cause convulsions and heart rhythm problems (ASPCA).

Sources: RHS, University of Georgia Extension, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, ASPCA.

Daffodil in nearby cities

Around Detroit, Kitchener is 12 days earlier and Cleveland 14 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Ann Arbor58 km6 October – 30 November2 days earlier
Lansing131 km3 October – 29 November5 days earlier
Cleveland145 km22 October – 23 December14 days later
Fort Wayne222 km3 October – 10 December5 days earlier
Grand Rapids225 km4 October – 29 November4 days earlier
Kitchener240 km26 September – 21 November12 days earlier

Where to buy daffodil for planting in Detroit

Planting stock goes into the ground from 8 October to about 7 December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Detroit OpenStreetMap lists 3 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 11 plant nurseries, 11 markets and 3 farm shops (collected 7 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant daffodils in Detroit?

In Detroit, daffodil: plant from 8 October to about 7 December. 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.

When is the last spring frost in Detroit?

Last spring frost around 24 April, first autumn frost around 7 November.

Other crops in Detroit, with their dates