When to plant hyacinths in Helsinki: 20 September – 25 November

In Helsinki, hyacinth: plant from 20 September to about 25 November. For planting stock, the places nearby include Puutarhurinverstas (garden centre, 2 km) and Maatiainen ry (garden centre, 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 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 Helsinki: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in December–March; the coldest, January, averages -5.9 °C.

Planting	20 September – 25 November
First autumn frost	20 October
Coldest nights	January, -5.9 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	25 March
Daylight	12:30 on 20 September
Daylight at the winter solstice	5:49

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

Hyacinth in Helsinki: 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 Helsinki the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 33 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 Helsinki, Pskov is 1 day earlier and Riga 24 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Tallinn	82 km	2 October – 26 November	12 days later
Saint Petersburg	299 km	20 September – 10 November	same day
Pskov	325 km	19 September – 17 November	1 day earlier
Riga	361 km	14 October – 8 December	24 days later
Stockholm	396 km	28 September – 5 December	8 days later
Veliky Novgorod	403 km	19 September – 10 November	1 day earlier

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Helsinki

Planting stock goes into the ground from 20 September to about 25 November; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Helsinki OpenStreetMap lists 26 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 3 plant nurseries and 13 markets (collected 7 October 2026).

Puutarhakeskus Sofianlehto — garden centre
Sofianlehdonkatu 12, 00610 Helsinki · Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00; Sat 09:00–16:00; Sun 11:00–16:00 · 4 km · sofianlehto.fi
Muhevainen — garden centre
Kaarelanvierto 4, 00430 Helsinki · Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00; Sat 10:00–16:00 · 8 km · muhevainen.fi
Pukinmäen Puutarha — garden centre
Isonpellontie 2, 00720 Helsinki · Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00; Sat 09:00–18:00; Sun 10:00–18:00 · 8 km · pukinmaenpuutarha.fi
Muhevainen — garden centre
Lirokuja 3, 00940 Helsinki · Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00; Sat 10:00–16:00 · 11 km · muhevainen.fi
Lilia — garden centre
Vanha Hämeenkyläntie 78, 02680 Espoo · Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00; Sat 10:00–16:00; Sun 11:00–15:00; Nov closed; Dec closed; Jan closed; Feb closed; Mar closed · 11 km · lilia.fi
Pihapuoti — garden centre
Viertolantie 2, 00730 Helsinki · Wed–Fri 16:00–19:00, Sat 11:00–15:00 · 11 km · pihapuoti.fi
Puutarhurinverstas — garden centre
Suvilahdenkatu 4, 00500 Helsinki · Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00; Sat 12:00–16:00 · 2 km · puutarhurinverstas.com
Maatiainen ry — garden centre
Stenbäckinkatu 8, 00250 Helsinki · Wed–Thu 12:00–18:00 · 3 km · maatiainen.fi

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