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When to plant tulips in Inverness: 14 October – end of December

In Inverness, tulip: plant from 14 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Howdens Garden Centre (garden centre, 2 km) and Abriachan Garden Nurseries (plant nursery, 15 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 Inverness: soil, season and weather

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

Planting14 October – end of December
First autumn frost13 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, 1.1 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring25 March
Daylight10:31 on 14 October
Daylight at the winter solstice6:36

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

Tulip in Inverness: 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 Inverness the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 30 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 Inverness the three warmest months bring about 243 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 Inverness, Edinburgh is 4 days earlier and Aberdeen 7 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Aberdeen133 km21 October – end of December7 days later
Dundee135 km13 October – end of December1 day earlier
Glasgow180 km12 October – end of December2 days earlier
Edinburgh181 km10 October – end of December4 days earlier
Carlisle299 km16 October – end of December2 days later
Newcastle upon Tyne321 km21 October – end of December7 days later

Where to buy tulip for planting in Inverness

Planting stock goes into the ground from 14 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Inverness OpenStreetMap lists 4 garden centres, 1 plant nursery and 4 farm shops (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant tulips in Inverness?

In Inverness, tulip: plant from 14 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 Inverness?

Last spring frost around 1 May, first autumn frost around 13 November.

Other crops in Inverness, with their dates