BULB PLANTING ROUNDUP
NOVEMBER 17, 2025All the bulb planting resources you need - in one spot.
Mid December through Early January is the perfect time to plant bulbs in Houston and similar climates. Note that bulbs must have already spent 8-12 weeks being “pre-chilled” - the process of exposing bulbs to consistently cold temperatures in a cooler to trick them into believing they have experienced winter.
Bulbs require adequate chill hours to produce a bloom - their chilling begins in the cooler indoors, and completes in the cold soil of December, January, and February - putting prechilled bulbs on track to bloom late February through all of March.
Click through the resources below - a compilation of some of the most beloved bulb-planting instagram and blog posts, all in one spot, for easy refrence:
How to Plant Bulbs Like a Flower Farmer
Dig a trench approximately 4-6” deep, nestle bulbs beside each other pointy side up (this makes them easier to harvest), and cover with soil. Note that if you’ve planted bulbs in a bed before, you can plant in the same spot UNLESS you saw signs of Tulip Fire - in that case, do not reuse the bed for bulbs.
Watch this video from the 2024 season to see it in rapid speed.
How to Plant Bulbs for a Mixed Border Look
For this planting style, combine all the varieties of your bulbs into a mix - giving your garden a random mix of blooms (as pictured left)
Click through this carousel from 2024 to see my exact process.
Bulb Planting Hot Takes
Every year, nervous gardeners toss out less than perfect bulbs (that would more than likely make a bloom!)
Most bulbs can be planted and will happily bloom if they’ve been chilled correctly - swipe through these hot takes to find out which bulbs should be composted.
How to Plant in Pots
Bulbs can be planted in pots to expand your garden space and add texture and interest to your porch. Note that using FRESH potting soil is important to prevent to recurrence of diseases like Tulip Fire (and if you see any tulip fire in this year’s pots, throw all of the bulbs and soil in the trash + take the time to sterilize your pot)
Watch the process in this 2023 video.
The Most Important Parts:
SPACING: bulbs can be planted as close together as “eggs in a carton” - beside each other but not touching - or you can space them 2-3” apart. Note that bulbs look best planted “en masse”, where they’re grouped together without too much space between them
DRAINAGE: bulbs require well-draining soil to prevent them from rotting - use potting soil, raised beds, or well-amended garden bed soil to ensure water is not pooling where your bulbs are planted
WATERING: bulbs require moisture to grow and thrive, but too much will cause the bulbs to rot - water bulbs only when the soil has dried out when they’re growing below the soil’s surface. Once you see green growth, you can water to keep the soil damp, but err on the side of caution.
TIMING: if you’ve received pre-chilled bulbs, plant them as soon as you receive them. If you’re unable to plant the bulbs within 48 hours of receiving them, place them in a 40ish degree fridge, away from any fruit and ensure they do not freeze.
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