When to plant tulips in Boise: 27 September – end of December

In Boise, tulip: plant from 27 September to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include North End Organic Nursery (garden centre, 4 km) and Zamzows (garden centre, 5 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.

Tulip in Boise: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in December–February; the coldest, January, averages -3.7 °C.

Planting	27 September – end of December
First autumn frost	27 October
Coldest nights	January, -3.7 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring	18 March
Daylight	11:58 on 27 September
Daylight at the winter solstice	8:56

The same dates in Boise hold for Garlic, Daffodil, Crocus and Hyacinth.

Tulip in Boise: depth, winter cold, pests and pets

Plant tulips at a depth of two to three times the bulb’s height, at least twice the bulb’s width apart, pointed end up (RHS).

In Boise 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 15–17 weeks at about 2–10 °C. The winter here gives that in the ground, so the bulbs need no pre-chilling.

Border tulips often fail to flower in their second year if left in the ground, so many gardeners grow them for one spring and plant fresh bulbs each autumn; Darwin hybrid and Kaufmanniana tulips reflower more reliably (RHS). Soils that stay wet in summer make reflowering difficult (RHS): in Boise the three warmest months bring about 31 mm of rain together.

Grey squirrels often dig up tulip bulbs: lay chicken wire over the bed until the leaves appear, or plant daffodils among them, which squirrels avoid (RHS). Tulips are toxic to dogs, cats and horses, the bulb most of all (ASPCA).

Sources: RHS, Wisconsin Horticulture Extension, ASPCA.

Tulip in nearby cities

All the nearest cities on our list plant tulip earlier than Boise; the closest date is in Salt Lake City, 1 day earlier.

City	Distance	Date	Difference
Elko	310 km	13 September – 15 November	14 days earlier
Idaho Falls	336 km	14 September – 14 November	13 days earlier
Missoula	400 km	6 September – 12 November	21 days earlier
Spokane	460 km	15 September – 23 November	12 days earlier
Helena	466 km	3 September – 5 November	24 days earlier
Salt Lake City	476 km	26 September – 23 December	1 day earlier

Where to buy tulip for planting in Boise

Planting stock goes into the ground from 27 September to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Boise OpenStreetMap lists 4 garden centres, 2 farm-supply shops and 1 plant nursery (collected 20 October 2026).

Zamzows — garden centre
South Federal Way 3691, 83716 Boise · Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00; Sun 22:00–17:00; Sat 09:00–18:00 · 5 km
North End Organic Nursery — garden centre
West Chinden Boulevard 3777, 83714 Garden City · 4 km
Zamzows — garden centre
West Fairview Avenue 6313, 83704 Boise · 5 km
Cloverdale Nursery — garden centre
North Cloverdale Road 2528, 83713 Boise · 11 km
Zamzows — farm supply
East Overland Road 3650, 83642 Meridian · 12 km
Zamzows — farm supply
West State Street 6208, 83703 Boise · 8 km
Madeline George Garden Design & Nursery — plant nursery
West Hill Road Parkway 10550, 83714 Boise · 13 km · madelinegeorge.com

Questions