When to plant hyacinths in Letterkenny: 29 October – end of December

In Letterkenny, hyacinth: plant from 29 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Gary's Petworld and Garden Centre (garden centre, 2 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 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 Letterkenny: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 2.7 °C.

Planting	29 October – end of December
First autumn frost	28 November
Coldest nights	January, 2.7 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring	already in the first week of January
Daylight	9:34 on 29 October
Daylight at the winter solstice	7:11

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

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

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

In Letterkenny the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 28 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

1 of the nearest cities share Letterkenny's date.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Sligo	91 km	22 October – end of December	7 days earlier
Belfast	122 km	20 October – end of December	9 days earlier
Dundalk	137 km	21 October – end of December	8 days earlier
Athlone	172 km	27 October – end of December	2 days earlier
Dublin	203 km	25 October – end of December	4 days earlier
Galway	207 km	by 29 October	same day

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Letterkenny

Planting stock goes into the ground from 29 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Letterkenny OpenStreetMap lists 3 garden centres and 1 market (collected 28 October 2026).

Gary's Petworld and Garden Centre — garden centre
Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00 · 2 km
Alcorns — garden centre
2 km · alcorns.ie
Raphoe Garden Centre — garden centre
12 km
Market Square — market
2 km

Questions