Greenly Garden

When to plant tulips in Eugene: 29 September – end of December

In Eugene, tulip: plant from 29 September to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Coastal Farm & Ranch (farm supply, 1 km) and Lane Forest Products, Inc. (garden centre, 6 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 Eugene: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in February, average 1.1 °C.

Planting29 September – end of December
First autumn frost29 October
Coldest nightsFebruary, 1.1 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring26 January
Daylight11:52 on 29 September
Daylight at the winter solstice8:53

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

Tulip in Eugene: 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 Eugene the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 24 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 Eugene the three warmest months bring about 77 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 Eugene, Medford is 9 days earlier and Redding 43 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Salem98 km18 October – end of December19 days later
Portland166 km23 October – end of December24 days later
Medford190 km20 September – end of December9 days earlier
Olympia332 km16 October – end of December17 days later
Redding390 kmby 11 November43 days later
Seattle399 km25 October – end of December26 days later

Where to buy tulip for planting in Eugene

Planting stock goes into the ground from 29 September to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Eugene OpenStreetMap lists 11 garden centres, 5 farm-supply shops, 4 plant nurseries, 8 markets and 4 farm shops (collected 29 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant tulips in Eugene?

In Eugene, tulip: plant from 29 September 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 Eugene?

Last spring frost around 15 April, first autumn frost around 29 October.

Other crops in Eugene, with their dates