Knowledgebase

Tulips #946994

Asked October 13, 2026, 12:10 PM EDT

Can I plant tulip bulbs now given the unseasonably warm weather or do I need to wait?

Baltimore City County Maryland

Expert Response

No, you can plant them now. In general, spring bulbs should be planted when the soil is around 55-65 degrees F. The current weather shouldn't affect their growth. Colder weather is coming, so the tulips shouldn't have enough of a warm period to break dormancy until spring.  The warm weather would be a great planting day!

If the package says to wait until the soil is cooler, you can check the soil temperatures on the Mesonet website from UMD. On the right side of the page is a list of various map data, so be sure to reference the soil temperature one. Baltimore is showing around 65 degrees F today. We think it is fine to plant the bulbs now or relatively soon. 

General info on planting bulbs

Emily

Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied October 13, 2026, 1:55 PM EDT

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