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When to plant hyacinths in Madison: 27 September – 20 November

In Madison, hyacinth: plant from 27 September to about 20 November.

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 Madison: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in December–March; the coldest, January, averages -9.8 °C.

Planting27 September – 20 November
First autumn frost27 October
Coldest nightsJanuary, -9.8 °C
Soil back at 1 °C in spring1 March
Daylight11:58 on 27 September
Daylight at the winter solstice9:00

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

Hyacinth in Madison: 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 Madison 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 Madison, Cedar Rapids is 2 days earlier and Chicago 10 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Rockford94 km28 September – 25 November1 day later
Milwaukee121 km2 October – 25 November5 days later
Davenport195 km30 September – 30 November3 days later
Green Bay196 km30 September – 17 November3 days later
Chicago196 km7 October – 3 December10 days later
Cedar Rapids224 km25 September – 25 November2 days earlier

Where to buy hyacinth for planting in Madison

Planting stock goes into the ground from 27 September to about 20 November; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Madison OpenStreetMap lists 8 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 3 plant nurseries, 19 markets and 1 farm shop (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant hyacinths in Madison?

In Madison, hyacinth: plant from 27 September to about 20 November. 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 Madison?

Last spring frost around 27 April, first autumn frost around 27 October.

Other crops in Madison, with their dates