When to plant hyacinths in Bordeaux: by 31 October

In Bordeaux, hyacinth: plant by 31 October. The winter here is too mild for our late-planting rule, so we give no later limit. For planting stock, the places nearby include Marc Postulka (garden centre, 3 km) and Goutte à Goutte (garden centre, 6 km); addresses and opening hours are below.

Hyacinth in Bordeaux: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 3.4 °C.

Planting	by 31 October
First autumn frost	30 November
Coldest nights	January, 3.4 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Daylight	10:15 on 31 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	8:47

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

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

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

In Bordeaux the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 15 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 Bordeaux, Poitiers is 11 days earlier and Bayonne 17 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
La Rochelle	153 km	by 12 November	12 days later
Bayonne	166 km	by 17 November	17 days later
Pau	171 km	by 4 November	4 days later
Limoges	181 km	28 October – end of December	3 days earlier
San Sebastián	203 km	by 3 November	3 days later
Poitiers	206 km	20 October – end of December	11 days earlier

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Bordeaux

Planting stock goes into the ground by 31 October; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Bordeaux OpenStreetMap lists 23 garden centres, 2 farm-supply shops, 2 plant nurseries, 39 markets and 12 farm shops (collected 7 October 2026).

Truffaut — garden centre
Rue Hipparque 7 · 09:30–19:00 · 8 km · truffaut.com
Pépine — garden centre
Chemin du Port de l'Homme 53, 33360 Latresne · Mon–Sat 09:00–13:00, 14:00–18:00 · 8 km · pepine.fr
Marc Postulka — garden centre
Rue Charles Chaumet 6, 33200 Bordeaux · Mon–Sat 08:00–12:30, 14:00–19:30; Sun 08:30–13:00, 14:00–18:00 · 3 km
AB Espaces Verts — garden centre
Rue de Garaude 5, 33360 Camblanes-et-Meynac · 11 km · abespacesverts.pro
E.Leclerc Jardi — garden centre
Route de Pauillac, 33290 Le Pian-Médoc · Mon–Fri 09:00–13:00, 14:30–20:00; Sat 09:00–20:00; Sun 09:00–13:00, 14:00–18:30 · 14 km · e.leclerc
Goutte à Goutte — garden centre
Route de Toulouse 451, 33140 Villenave-d'Ornon · 6 km · hydrozone.fr
Jardiland — garden centre
Avenue de l'Île-de-France · Mon–Sat 09:00–19:00; Sun 09:30–12:30, 14:30–18:30 · 7 km · jardiland.com
Serres Audirac Horticulture — garden centre
Chemin de Leyran 52, 33140 Villenave D'ornon · 09:00–12:00, 14:00–18:00 · 8 km

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