9 Bulbs to Plant in November for Gorgeous Spring Blooms
If you’re standing in front of a rack of bulbs in November, pick the tulips first. November is a recommended planting month for tulips in the UK and in parts of the northeastern US. For daffodils, crocuses, and several other spring bulbs, November is a late opportunity: firm bulbs may still flower if you plant them promptly, but earlier planting usually gives them more time to establish roots.
Before you buy, take a trowel to the spot you have in mind. Can you dig to planting depth? Does the soil crumble, or does the hole fill with water? A frosty lawn doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve missed your chance. Frozen ground or a waterlogged bed is a better reason to change your plans. extension.colostate.edu
These nine choices suit different parts of the garden. Some flower low enough to tuck beside a doorstep; others send up their tallest stems just as the tulips are finishing.
1. Tulips for the Most Reliable November Planting
Tulips (Tulipa) are the best choice if you’re buying bulbs specifically for November. Give them a sunny spot with good drainage. For a display you can see from the house, plant a group of one variety rather than scattering individual bulbs across the bed. A dozen plum-colored tulips beside the front steps will make a stronger impression than one tulip in each corner of the garden. www.rhs.org.uk
What to look for on the packet: Flowering time matters as much as color. Two varieties labeled “early” may open together. Pair an early tulip with a late one if you want the display to last longer. ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu
2. Daffodils for a Border That Returns Each Spring
Daffodils (Narcissus) are a good choice for a permanent patch. Tall trumpet daffodils are easy to appreciate from a window, while miniature varieties are better placed along a path where you’ll notice their smaller flowers.
If you find an unplanted bag in November, check the bulbs before giving up on them. A UK planting trial found that even some December-planted daffodils produced a worthwhile first display. Plant firm bulbs promptly in workable soil; there’s no advantage to waiting until spring because you missed the ideal autumn date. www.which.co.uk
Best placement: Choose somewhere you can leave the foliage after flowering. If you like to mow your lawn early, a border is a better home for daffodils than the middle of the grass. www.rhs.org.uk
3. Spring Crocuses for Color Beside the Front Path
Crocuses are small enough to disappear at the far end of a yard. Beside a doorstep, the same cluster of purple, white, or yellow cups can be the first thing you notice when you leave home on a spring morning.
Choose a packet marked spring-flowering crocus. Autumn-flowering types follow a different schedule. Crocuses grow from corms rather than true bulbs, but you’ll find them in the same autumn displays. Earlier autumn planting gives the best results; November is a fallback for firm corms and soil that hasn’t frozen. www.rhs.org.uk
If you plant them in grass, choose a patch you can leave unmown while the leaves are still green. A narrow strip along a path is easier to manage than an entire lawn. www.rhs.org.uk
4. Garden Hyacinths for Fragrance by the Door
Garden hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) offer something tulips don’t usually bring to a planting: a fragrance you can enjoy before you’ve stopped to look at the flowers. Put a small group beside a bench or grow them in a deep pot near the entrance you use most often.
Look for firm bulbs sold for outdoor planting. Hyacinths prefer an earlier start, so plant suitable bulbs without further delay if your November soil is cool and well drained. Where winter rain collects in the border, use a container with open drainage holes. www.rhs.org.uk
5. Grape Hyacinths for a Low Blue Border
Grape hyacinths (Muscari) have short stems topped with clusters of tiny, beadlike flowers. They’re especially useful in a bed that already has plenty of tall spring flowers but looks bare around their stems.
Try planting them in small groups that repeat along the front of a daffodil bed. The blue flowers form a visible ribbon from a distance, while the individual clusters reward a closer look. Rutgers recommends grouping small bulbs for a stronger display. ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu
November tip: Grape hyacinths normally go in earlier than tulips. If you already have the bulbs, prioritize planting the firm ones rather than leaving the packet on a shelf for another month. ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu
6. Dwarf Irises for a Sunny Step or Raised Bed
Dwarf irises such as Iris reticulata bring patterned flowers down to eye level when you sit beside a planter or walk up a set of steps. Give them a sunny, freely draining position at the front of a bed, where taller foliage won’t hide them. www.rhs.org.uk
These are worth distinguishing from tulips when you shop. Planting trials favor September or early October for dwarf irises. If you already have sound bulbs and a suitable spot, plant them now. If you’re choosing what to buy in late November, tulips are the better bet. www.which.co.uk
7. Snake’s Head Fritillaries for a Moist Garden Edge
Snake’s head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) has nodding bells with a checkerboard pattern that’s easy to miss from across the garden. Plant it near a path or at the edge of a meadow-style planting, where you can see the markings up close. www.rhs.org.uk
Choose it for the soil you have. If a border stays evenly moist in spring but doesn’t hold standing water, this fritillary is a better match than a dwarf iris. It tolerates sun or partial shade. Earlier autumn is preferable, so for a November planting, choose fresh, firm bulbs and plant them promptly. www.rhs.org.uk
8. Ornamental Alliums for Late-Spring Flower Heads
Ornamental alliums earn their space by flowering above shorter plants. A group of purple globes rising through a border can carry the display forward as the main flush of tulips fades.
Check the bloom season before buying. Some ornamental alliums flower in summer. If you want to fill a late-spring gap, choose a variety labeled for that period. Earlier autumn is customary for planting, but a UK gardening trial found that alliums still flowered well from later plantings. A sunny bed with good drainage is the place to try them. www.which.co.uk
9. Camassia for Blue Flowers as Spring Turns to Summer
Camassia is a useful choice for gardeners whose soil stays a little too moist for tulips. Camassia quamash produces upright spires of star-shaped blue flowers in late spring or early summer. Give it sun or light shade and moisture-retentive soil that drains after heavy rain. www.rhs.org.uk
Choose a permanent spot. Camassias can increase when left undisturbed, making them a better fit for a border than for a patio pot you empty every season. October is a more usual planting month in regions such as New Jersey; if you have healthy bulbs in November, plant them while the soil is still workable. www.rhs.org.uk
How to Plant Spring Bulbs in November
- Sort the bulbs first. Keep bulbs that feel firm for their size. A loose papery skin is different from a bulb that feels soft or collapses under gentle pressure. Discard rotten bulbs. www.rhs.org.uk
- Use the packet depth. For many true bulbs, a hole about two to three times the bulb’s height is a useful starting point. Measure from the soil surface to the base of the bulb. Follow the species-specific directions if they differ. www.rhs.org.uk
- Dig one broad hole for a group. Arrange the bulbs at the recommended spacing, with pointed tips upward where identifiable. Cover gently and mark the spot before the bed looks bare again. www.rhs.org.uk
- Water according to the ground. Water a dry bed after planting to settle the soil. If the hole is already full of rainwater, move the planting to a better-drained spot. Even moisture-loving camassias dislike waterlogged soil. www.butler.k-state.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant bulbs after the first frost?
Yes, if the frost was light and you can still dig to the proper depth. Frost on the grass and frozen soil are different things. The later you plant, the less time bulbs have to establish roots before the ground freezes, so don’t delay deliberately. extension.colostate.edu
Can I plant bulbs in pots in November?
Yes. Tulips and garden hyacinths are useful container choices. Select a pot deep enough for the recommended planting depth, use a suitable potting mix, and make sure excess rain can escape through the base. In a very cold climate, remember that an exposed pot needs more winter protection than bulbs planted in the ground. www.rhs.org.uk
What if my winters are too warm for tulips?
Use local guidance rather than planting by the November calendar. In Florida, for example, growers can use pre-chilled tulip bulbs, plant them in winter, and treat them as a one-season display. If you chill bulbs yourself, keep them away from ripening fruit: the ethylene it releases can damage flower buds. gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu
Which three bulbs give the longest spring display in a small garden?
Try spring crocuses beside the path, midseason tulips behind them, and a late-spring allium among emerging perennials. That gives you three flowering periods without needing three separate beds. If you’re buying in late November and only have time for one planting, start with the tulips.
