Why are flower bulbs like tulips planted in fall, not spring?

While it’s nearing the end of the line this time of year for most of the landscape, there’s one group of plants when it’s prime time to start them – spring-flowering bulbs.

Led by tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, these spring bloomers are best planted in October and even into early November.

But why do they need to go into the ground now when spring is when most everything else is planted?

The reason relates to the underground, bulbous origin of these plants and the life cycle around it .

Spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, and lesser known species such as snowdrops, winter aconite, Siberian squill, glory-of-the-snow, and most alliums are all actually embryos that have tiny living plants inside.

When planted into the cooling soil of fall, the fi