Bulb Forcing Desk: when to pot bulbs for indoor bloom

Pick a bloom date and a bulb, and the desk counts back to the day to pot it. Paperwhites bloom 4 to 6 weeks after potting and Dutch amaryllis 6 to 8 weeks, with no chill. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths need 12 to 17 weeks of cold first, then 2 to 4 weeks to bloom, so pot those in fall for late winter flowers. The desk also says where to keep pots cold in your zone and exports calendar reminders. Your plan saves on your device. No account needed.

Free bulb forcing calculator. Pick a bloom date and see when to pot paperwhites, amaryllis, hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils, count down to a holiday bloom date, how long to chill them, and where to keep them cold in your zone.

When to pot for each holiday

Dates are the potting window for bloom on the day. Start at the early date for the best odds. Hardy bulb dates assume bulbs that have had no cold yet.

Bloom by	Paperwhites	Dutch amaryllis	South African amaryllis	Hyacinths
Thanksgiving, Nov 26, 2026	Too late this year	Too late this year	Too late this year	Too late this year
Christmas, Dec 25, 2026	Nov 13, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026	Oct 30, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026	Nov 20, 2026 to Dec 4, 2026	Too late this year
New Year's Day, Jan 1, 2027	Nov 20, 2026 to Dec 4, 2026	Nov 6, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026	Nov 27, 2026 to Dec 11, 2026	Too late this year
Valentine's Day, Feb 14, 2027	Jan 3, 2027 to Jan 17, 2027	Dec 20, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027	Jan 10, 2027 to Jan 24, 2027	Oct 4, 2026 to Nov 8, 2026
Easter, Mar 28, 2027	Feb 14, 2027 to Feb 28, 2027	Jan 31, 2027 to Feb 14, 2027	Feb 21, 2027 to Mar 7, 2027	Nov 15, 2026 to Dec 20, 2026

Holiday bloom countdown

The live desk has a countdown that starts on Christmas Eve. Pick any bloom date and it shows the pot window for paperwhites and amaryllis and how many days are left. Missouri Extension says paperwhites need 4 to 6 weeks after planting, and Colorado State gives 4 to 8 weeks. Missouri Extension suggests potting paperwhites at two-week intervals in November for flowers through February. Iowa State says Dutch-grown amaryllis bloom 6 to 8 weeks after potting and South African-grown bulbs 3 to 5 weeks.

Chill and bloom times

Bulb	Weeks of cold at 35 to 48F	Weeks to bloom	Total weeks from potting
Paperwhites	None	4 to 6 after potting	4 to 6
Amaryllis, Dutch-grown	None	6 to 8 after potting	6 to 8
Amaryllis, South African-grown	None	3 to 5 after potting	3 to 5
Hyacinths	12 to 15	2 to 4 after the cold	14 to 19
Daffodils	15 to 17	2 to 4 after the cold	17 to 21
Tulips	15 to 17	2 to 4 after the cold	17 to 21
Crocus	15 to 17	2 to 4 after the cold	17 to 21
Grape hyacinth	15 to 17	2 to 4 after the cold	17 to 21
Dwarf iris	16 to 17	2 to 4 after the cold	18 to 21
Snowdrops	10 to 12	2 to 4 after the cold	12 to 16

Cold weeks are from Penn State Extension. Some tables run shorter, so check for roots at the drain hole at the low end of the range.

Where to keep hardy bulbs cold

Aim for 35 to 48F, with 40F ideal. A cellar, unheated basement, a garage or cold frame that stays above 20F, a trench outdoors, or a refrigerator with no fruit in it all work. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, which damages the flower bud. In zone 8 and warmer, use the refrigerator.

Pets

Amaryllis, daffodils and paperwhites, tulips, and hyacinths are on the ASPCA list of plants toxic to dogs and cats. Keep pots out of reach. See pet-safe plants.

Guides

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