Greenly Garden
Get the app
EN

When to plant tulips in Salem: 18 October – end of December

In Salem, tulip: plant from 18 October to the end of December. For planting stock, the places nearby include GreenSpaceDesign by jude (garden centre, 1 km) and Rudy's Garden Shop (garden centre, 1 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 Salem: soil, season and weather

No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in February, average 1.9 °C.

Planting18 October – end of December
First autumn frost17 November
Coldest nightsFebruary, 1.9 °C
Soil back at 7 °C in spring18 January
Daylight10:53 on 18 October
Daylight at the winter solstice8:46

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

Tulip in Salem: 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 Salem the average daily temperature stays at 10 °C or lower for about 22 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 Salem the three warmest months bring about 62 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 Salem, Medford is 28 days earlier and Victoria 34 days later.

CityDistanceDateDifference
Portland70 km23 October – end of December5 days later
Eugene98 km29 September – end of December19 days earlier
Olympia234 km16 October – end of December2 days earlier
Medford287 km20 September – end of December28 days earlier
Seattle302 km25 October – end of December7 days later
Victoria389 km21 November – end of December34 days later

Where to buy tulip for planting in Salem

Planting stock goes into the ground from 18 October to the end of December; buy it before that. Within 15 km of Salem OpenStreetMap lists 12 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 3 plant nurseries, 2 markets and 1 farm shop (collected 28 October 2026).

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Questions

When to plant tulips in Salem?

In Salem, tulip: plant from 18 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 Salem?

Last spring frost around 27 March, first autumn frost around 17 November.

Other crops in Salem, with their dates