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When to plant hyacinths in Hamilton: 8 October – 10 December

In Hamilton, hyacinth: plant from 8 October to about 10 December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Garden Centre (garden centre, 3 km) and The Dirt Depot (garden centre, 9 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).

Hyacinth in Hamilton: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in December–March; the coldest, January, averages -5.3 °C.

Planting8 October – 10 December
First autumn frost7 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, -5.3 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring13 January
Daylight11:26 on 8 October
Daylight at the winter solstice8:58

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

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

Plant hyacinths 10 cm deep, at least 7.5 cm apart (RHS). In the ground hyacinths are fully hardy, but in containers they can be frost tender in cold winters (RHS); here winter nights average below 0 °C, so wrap the pots or move them to a sheltered spot.

In Hamilton 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 Hamilton, Kitchener is 12 days earlier and Cleveland 14 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Kitchener57 km26 September – 21 November12 days earlier
Toronto58 km30 September – 25 November8 days earlier
Buffalo88 km11 October – 6 December3 days later
Erie126 km20 October – 22 December12 days later
Rochester181 km13 October – 14 December5 days later
Cleveland247 km22 October – 23 December14 days later

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Hamilton

Planting stock goes into the ground from 8 October to about 10 December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Hamilton OpenStreetMap lists 10 garden centres, 5 markets and 4 farm shops (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant hyacinths in Hamilton?

In Hamilton, hyacinth: plant from 8 October to about 10 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 Hamilton?

Last spring frost around 19 April, first autumn frost around 7 November.

Other crops in Hamilton, with their dates