When to Plant Daffodil Bulbs by Zone

Plant daffodils once soil is below 60F: early October to early November in zone 6, late September to late October in zone 5. In zones 9 and 10, plant jonq...

Published 2026-10-06 by ThriveThyme

bulbs daffodils fall planting zones

The Short Answer

Plant daffodil bulbs in fall once the soil at 6 inches is below 60F. In zones 3 to 8 that is about 2 weeks before your typical first frost through 2 weeks after it, and late planting works until the ground freezes. In zones 9 and 10, skip the chill: plant jonquil and tazetta (paperwhite) types in October and November.

Your zone's dates and a bed calculator are on the Bulb Desk.

Daffodil Planting Dates by Zone

Same windows as tulips, from the ThriveThyme zone first frost table: first frost minus 14 days to first frost plus 14 days. Last call is first frost plus 6 weeks, our estimate of when the ground freezes.

Zone 3: Sep 1 to Sep 29. Last call about Oct 27.
Zone 4: Sep 11 to Oct 9. Last call about Nov 6.
Zone 5: Sep 26 to Oct 24. Last call about Nov 21.
Zone 6: Oct 6 to Nov 3. Last call about Dec 1.
Zone 7: Oct 18 to Nov 15. Last call about Dec 13.
Zone 8: Nov 1 to Nov 29. Last call about Dec 27.
Zones 9 and 10: Oct 1 to Nov 30, with jonquil and tazetta types.

Why Daffodils Are the Easy Bulb

They come back and spread for years in zones 3 to 8.
They are toxic, so deer, voles, and squirrels leave them alone. Rutgers rates daffodils as rarely damaged by deer.
They bloom early to mid spring, ahead of most tulips.

How to Plant Daffodils

Depth: 6 inches to the bottom of the bulb, 8 inches for large bulbs.
Spacing: about 6 inches apart, or 4 bulbs per square foot.
Pointy end up, in soil that drains. Wet soil rots bulbs.
Water in well and weekly in a dry fall until the ground freezes.
Mulch 2 to 3 inches after the ground freezes.

See how deep and how far apart to plant bulbs for the full chart.

Daffodils in Zones 9 and 10

Most large-cup daffodils need more winter cold than the Gulf Coast or Florida gives. Choose jonquils and tazettas, which bloom with little chill. Harris County AgriLife notes several narcissus types naturalize in Houston. Texas A&M AgriLife says these can go in any time in fall. Only tulips and hyacinths need the refrigerator first.

After They Bloom

Cut off spent flowers but leave the leaves until they turn yellow, about 6 weeks. The leaves feed next year's bulb. Plant annuals or perennials around them to hide the fading foliage.

Sources

Next Steps

Plan the bed on the Bulb Desk. Pair daffodils with tulips to shield them from deer, and read deer-resistant spring bulbs for more picks.