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When to plant tulips in Cambridge: 25 October – end of December

In Cambridge, tulip: plant from 25 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Coton Farm Shop (farm shop, 4 km) and Hackers Fruit Farm Shop (farm shop, 7 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 Cambridge: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 1.7 °C.

Planting25 October – end of December
First autumn frost24 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, 1.7 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring13 February
Daylight10:04 on 25 October
Daylight at the winter solstice7:43

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

Tulip in Cambridge: 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 Cambridge the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 25 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 Cambridge the three warmest months bring about 173 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

Around Cambridge, Coventry is 7 days earlier and Brighton 7 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Ipswich73 km30 October – end of December5 days later
London79 km24 October – end of December1 day earlier
Norwich93 km29 October – end of December4 days later
Coventry113 km18 October – end of December7 days earlier
Birmingham140 km20 October – end of December5 days earlier
Brighton153 kmby 1 November7 days later

Where to buy tulip for planting in Cambridge

Planting stock goes into the ground from 25 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Cambridge OpenStreetMap lists 11 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 2 markets and 7 farm shops (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant tulips in Cambridge?

In Cambridge, tulip: plant from 25 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.

When is the last spring frost in Cambridge?

Last spring frost around 3 April, first autumn frost around 24 November.

Other crops in Cambridge, with their dates