When To Order Tulip and Daffodil Bulbs

Tulips and daffodils are a beautiful addition to any landscape and they are easy to plant and grow, but you need to know when to order tulip bulbs to get the best selection and the healthiest bulbs for your garden.

Tulips and daffodils are best planted in the fall, after the ground has started to cool. Many people wait until fall to order the bulbs since that is when they decide to plant, but this may not be the best time to place your order. Let’s take a look at a couple of reasons you might want to order your bulbs before fall.

First of all, bulbs are best when they are kept out of the extreme heat. Bulbs that you buy at the end of the summer may have been sitting around in the heat for several weeks. If you buy them earlier, such as mid-summer, you can take delivery and keep them in a cool dry place yourself to insure the health of the bulbs. Most mail order houses will keep the bulbs stored very well so you can rest assured that your bulbs will arrive healthy, a greater risk when buying from a big box or local store.

Second, there are only so many bulbs of each variety, and if you wait too long you may find that the bulb you are looking for is no longer available. By ordering sooner you will be able to choose from the best selection available, so you can get the exact bloom season, height, shape, and color for your landscape.

You will find bulbs at your local store, but a much greater variety is online for your shopping pleasure. Also, many store bulbs are of inferior size and quality. Searching online you can compare bulb size (which will result in performance) and price quite easily to find the bulbs that are best for you.

There is a great reason to plant some tulips and daffodils in your landscape. The best reason is that they are among the first flowers to greet you after a long winter. Despite the need to cut back the stems if you don't want to see them wither away, these are both really very low maintenance plants that add quick color to a time of year where few others are in bloom.

The great part is that they will grow bigger every year little by little, so you can enjoy the bulbs for years to come. Bulb plants like tulips and daffodils can also be separated after a few years and planted in more spots, so they can slowly add color to new parts of your yard over time.

So when is the best time to order your tulip and daffodil bulbs? Summer is a great time to get it done, and the earlier you place your order the better.