When to plant hyacinths in León (Spain): 9 October – end of December

In León (Spain), hyacinth: plant from 9 October to the end of 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.

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 León (Spain): soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in January; the coldest, January, averages -0.5 °C.

Planting	9 October – end of December
First autumn frost	8 November
Coldest nights	January, -0.5 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Daylight	11:24 on 9 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	9:03

The same dates in León (Spain) hold for Garlic, Tulip, Daffodil and Crocus.

Hyacinth in León (Spain): 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 León (Spain) the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 23 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

All the nearest cities on our list plant hyacinth later than León (Spain); the closest date is in Palencia, 4 days later.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Ponferrada	84 km	28 October – end of December	19 days later
Oviedo	88 km	by 6 November	28 days later
Gijón	105 km	by 17 November	39 days later
Palencia	108 km	13 October – end of December	4 days later
Zamora	122 km	19 October – end of December	10 days later
Valladolid	127 km	28 October – end of December	19 days later

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in León (Spain)

Planting stock goes into the ground from 9 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of León (Spain) OpenStreetMap lists 1 plant nursery and 1 market (collected 27 October 2026).

Mercado del Conde Luna — market
Mon–Thu 09:00–15:00; Fri, Sat 08:00–15:00 · 0 km
Viveros Galileo — plant nursery
6 km

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