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When to plant tulips in Potsdam: 22 October – end of December

In Potsdam, tulip: plant from 22 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Obstscheune (farm shop, 9 km) and Spezialitätenmarkt (farm shop, 10 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 Potsdam: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in January; the coldest, January, averages -0.4 °C.

Planting22 October – end of December
First autumn frost21 November
Coldest nightsJanuary, -0.4 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring23 March
Daylight10:15 on 22 October
Daylight at the winter solstice7:40

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

Tulip in Potsdam: 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 Potsdam 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 Potsdam the three warmest months bring about 185 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 Potsdam; the closest date is in Berlin, 2 days earlier.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Berlin27 km20 October – end of December2 days earlier
Magdeburg102 km19 October – end of December3 days earlier
Leipzig127 km18 October – end of December4 days earlier
Szczecin152 km18 October – end of December4 days earlier
Dresden157 km19 October – end of December3 days earlier
Zielona Góra175 km14 October – end of December8 days earlier

Where to buy tulip for planting in Potsdam

Planting stock goes into the ground from 22 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Potsdam OpenStreetMap lists 16 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 8 plant nurseries, 12 markets and 28 farm shops (collected 28 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant tulips in Potsdam?

In Potsdam, tulip: plant from 22 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 Potsdam?

Last spring frost around 5 April, first autumn frost around 21 November.

Other crops in Potsdam, with their dates