The Best Time to Plant Tulip Bulbs in Wisconsin

Planting Time

• Spring-flowering bulbs including tulip should be planted in Wisconsin in the late summer to early fall. North Country Gardeners advise planting six weeks before the fall frost, which means bulbs should be planted in early August in Wisconsin.

Significance

• Spring-flowering bulbs get planted in fall because of their life cycle. The bulbs remain dormant all summer long and begin to send out roots when the soil temperatures reach 50 F. Planting in late summer or fall puts bulbs in the ground at the end of their dormancy when they can begin to grow.

Planting

• Tulips should be planted 4 to 6 inches apart in the soil to ensure proper spacing. Plant bulbs three times as deep as they are long. Cover the tulip bulbs with 2 to 4 inches of mulch to prevent frost damage, then remove the mulch in early spring so the plants can grow.