When to plant hyacinths in Blenheim: by 1 May

In Blenheim, hyacinth: plant by 1 May. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit. For planting stock, the places nearby include Golden Mile Produce (farm shop, 6 km); addresses and opening hours are below.

Hyacinth in Blenheim: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in July, average 5.3 °C.

Planting	by 1 May
First autumn frost	31 May
Coldest nights	July, 5.3 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	already in the first week of July
Daylight	10:20 on 1 May
Daylight at the winter solstice	9:10

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

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

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

In Blenheim the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 11 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. That is less than the bulbs need, and without more cold they may not flower properly. Where winters are not cold enough for long enough, LSU AgCenter keeps tulip and hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator for at least six to eight weeks before planting, and plants them only once the soil has cooled: warm soil can cancel the chilling. Keep fruit out of that refrigerator — ripening fruit gives off ethylene, which harms the flowers (Wisconsin Horticulture Extension).

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, LSU AgCenter, ASPCA.

Hyacinth in nearby cities

Around Blenheim, Dunedin is 9 days earlier and Nelson 21 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Nelson	63 km	by 22 May	21 days later
Palmerston North	189 km	by 22 May	21 days later
Christchurch	249 km	by 6 May	5 days later
Timaru	389 km	by 5 May	4 days later
Rotorua	423 km	by 26 April	5 days earlier
Dunedin	559 km	22 April – end of June	9 days earlier

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Blenheim

Planting stock goes into the ground by 1 May; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Blenheim OpenStreetMap lists 1 market and 1 farm shop (collected 28 October 2026).

Marlborough Farmers' Market — market
Maxwell Road · Sun 09:00–12:00 · 2 km
Golden Mile Produce — farm shop
Sat 14:00–18:00 · 6 km

Questions