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Notebook · Guide 1 October 2026 · seasonal

Planting spring bulbs: depth, timing, and why tulips go in last

Daffodils and crocus by the end of September, tulips later. The planting-depth rule, which way up, lasagne pots, stopping squirrels — and why daffodils go 'blind'.

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Cutaway of soil showing a daffodil bulb planted pointy end up at a depth of about two to three times its own height, with a faint dashed line indicating the bulb's height repeated above it.
1Plant bulbs two to three times their own height deep, pointy end up.

Spring bulbs are the closest thing gardening has to a guaranteed win: an hour in autumn, colour in spring, no skill required. The two things that do matter are depth and timing. Plant too shallow and bulbs split into small ones that don't flower; plant daffodils too late and they struggle. Tulips are the exception — they go in later than everything else.

In pictures

  1. Cutaway of a deep pot planted as a bulb 'lasagne': large tulip bulbs on the bottom layer, smaller daffodil bulbs in the middle, small crocus corms near the top, with compost between layers.
    2A bulb lasagne: big late bulbs at the bottom, small early ones at the top.
  2. A patch of soil planted with bulbs and covered with a piece of chicken wire held down by stones, with a grey squirrel nearby.
    3Chicken wire over planted bulbs keeps squirrels out.
  3. Daffodils after flowering with their leaves left standing and naturally yellowing, not tied or knotted.
    4After flowering, let daffodil leaves yellow naturally.

01At a glance

  • Daffodils, crocus, hyacinths: preferably by the end of September. Daffodils should be in by mid-November at the latest.
  • Alliums: September and October.
  • Tulips: later — October to November, later rather than earlier.
  • Depth: two to three times the height of the bulb.
  • Spacing: at least twice the bulb's width apart.

02Step by step: in the ground

  1. Pick a spot with free-draining soil. Tulips especially hate sitting wet. Improve heavy or very sandy soil with organic matter.
  2. Dig the hole to two to three times the bulb's height — a 5cm bulb goes 10–15cm deep.
  3. Pointy end up. The shoot end faces upwards; the flat, rooty base sits on the soil.
  4. Space them out at least two bulb-widths apart. For a natural look, scatter a handful and plant where they land.
  5. Backfill and firm gently with the back of a rake rather than stamping on them.

03In pots: the "lasagne"

Layer different bulbs in one pot for weeks of flowers.

  1. Choose a pot at least 30cm wide and deep, with drainage holes.
  2. Use peat-free multipurpose compost, with some grit mixed in for drainage.
  3. Start with at least 10cm of compost in the base.
  4. Bottom layer: big, late bulbs such as tulips.
  5. Middle layer: mid-season bulbs such as miniature daffodils.
  6. Top layer: small, early bulbs such as crocus.
  7. Finish with 5–10cm of compost, at least 2cm below the rim.

04Squirrels

Squirrels go for tulips and crocus. Lay chicken wire over the pot or the planted area and remove it once shoots appear.

05After flowering

Leave the leaves for at least six weeks after flowering — they're feeding next year's bulb. Don't knot or tie daffodil leaves. A high-potash liquid feed every week or two helps bulbs in pots.

06Why daffodils go "blind"

Healthy leaves but no flowers? The RHS lists the usual causes: planting too shallow, planting too late, cutting or knotting the leaves too soon, letting them set seed, and overcrowding.

07Gloves, please

The RHS advises gloves when handling hyacinth and tulip bulbs, which can irritate skin. For safety flags on the plants themselves, see our tulip, daffodil and crocus profiles.

Save your money
Chicken wire beats squirrel repellents.
Indoor hyacinths can go out in the garden after flowering and will flower again the following spring.
Buy tulips early for choice, plant late. Store them somewhere cool and dry until it's time.

How we checked this

Every care and safety claim on this page is verified against horticultural and veterinary sources.

Sources: RHS — Bulbs: planting · RHS — How to grow tulips · RHS — How to plant bulbs in a pot · RHS — Daffodil blindness · RHS — Hyacinth

Checked 1 October 2026. If our advice ever conflicts with the RHS, believe them and tell us.