When to plant hyacinths in Athlone: 27 October – end of December

In Athlone, hyacinth: plant from 27 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Fernhill Garden Centre (garden centre, 2 km) and Homeland Agri (farm supply, 3 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 average daily temperature here stays above 0 °C all winter, and at least three months average 7 °C or less: our rule of thumb for the winter cold spring bulbs need. Sources: Iowa State University Extension, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, UNH Extension, RHS.

Hyacinth in Athlone: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 3.3 °C.

Planting	27 October – end of December
First autumn frost	26 November
Coldest nights	January, 3.3 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Daylight	9:51 on 27 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	7:29

The same dates in Athlone hold for Garlic, Tulip, Daffodil and Crocus.

Hyacinth in Athlone: depth, winter cold, pests and pets

Plant hyacinths 10 cm deep, at least 7.5 cm apart (RHS).

In Athlone the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 26 weeks a year (our estimate from ten years of monthly weather). For this bulb Wisconsin Horticulture Extension gives a cold period of 12–15 weeks at about 2–10 °C. The winter here gives that in the ground, so the bulbs need no pre-chilling.

Flowers get smaller in the years after planting: for full spikes, replace the bulbs or add a few new ones each autumn (RHS).

If squirrels are a problem, protect the bulbs with wire mesh (RHS). Hyacinths are toxic to dogs, cats and horses: intense vomiting and diarrhoea (ASPCA).

Sources: RHS, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, ASPCA.

Hyacinth in nearby cities

Around Athlone, Dundalk is 6 days earlier and Galway 2 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Galway	76 km	by 29 October	2 days later
Sligo	101 km	22 October – end of December	5 days earlier
Dublin	112 km	25 October – end of December	2 days earlier
Dundalk	120 km	21 October – end of December	6 days earlier
Waterford	141 km	by 21 October	6 days earlier
Letterkenny	172 km	29 October – end of December	2 days later

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Athlone

Planting stock goes into the ground from 27 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Athlone OpenStreetMap lists 3 garden centres, 2 farm-supply shops and 1 plant nursery (collected 20 October 2026).

Fernhill Garden Centre — garden centre
Mon–Sat 09:00–18:00, Sun 11:00–18:00 · 2 km · fernhill.ie
Homeland Agri — farm supply
Moydrum Business Park, N37 FY05 Athlone · 3 km
Mulveys — garden centre
4 km
B&Q Garden Centre — garden centre
2 km
Rohan Agri Supplies Ltd. — farm supply
10 km
O'Dowd Nurseries — plant nursery
13 km

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