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When to plant tulips in Reno: 28 September – end of December

In Reno, tulip: plant from 28 September to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include Micano Home & Garden Decor (garden centre, 2 km) and Walmart Garden Center (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 Reno: soil, season and weather

Nights then average below 0 °C in December–February; the coldest, January, averages -1.8 °C.

Planting28 September – end of December
First autumn frost28 October
Coldest nightsJanuary, -1.8 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring17 March
Daylight11:56 on 28 September
Daylight at the winter solstice9:22

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

Tulip in Reno: 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 Reno 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 Reno the three warmest months bring about 16 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 Reno, Elko is 15 days earlier and Sacramento 44 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Carson City41 km22 September – end of December6 days earlier
Sacramento179 kmby 11 November44 days later
Stockton217 kmby 3 November36 days later
Redding249 kmby 11 November44 days later
Fresno309 kmby 5 November38 days later
Elko375 km13 September – 15 November15 days earlier

Where to buy tulip for planting in Reno

Planting stock goes into the ground from 28 September to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Reno OpenStreetMap lists 8 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop and 3 markets (collected 20 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant tulips in Reno?

In Reno, tulip: plant from 28 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 Reno?

Last spring frost around 16 April, first autumn frost around 28 October.

Other crops in Reno, with their dates