6 Striking Bulbs to Plant in November and Skyrocket Your Spring Garden – There’s Still Plenty of Time

If you haven’t got around to planting spring-flowering bulbs yet, don’t panic because you can plant all these showstoppers in November. From tiny pastel-hued muscari to alliums the size of softballs, many-petalled tulips to intensely scented hyacinths, the range of bulbs to plant in November is just as exciting as those that need planting in September or October, so don’t feel you’re missing out for a second if you're slow off the starting block this fall.

Growing blooms from bulbs couldn’t be easier, because fall and winter rain will provide all the moisture they need. The secret to getting great results when planting bulbs in November is to sit them on a shallow layer of grit to improve drainage, so creating a drier environment to stop bulb bases rotting in wet winter soil. You could use horticultural grit but poultry grit does exactly the same job and costs a lot less. Just make sure you use a product that’s 100% crushed rock like CZ Grain Chicken Grit, available from Walmart, rather than the type made from oyster shells.

My bulb recommendations will brighten up your garden from February all the way into May and beyond, and return year after year. And I’ve skipped right past the common-or-garden varieties to bring you flowers in standout shades and shapes to create a colorful stir in your yard. Grow these beautiful bulbs in the ground, in raised beds or in pots – but do just grow them! Which of these striking bulbs to plant in late fall will skyrocket your spring garden next year?

1. Tulips

November is the very best month to plant tulips. Waiting until temperatures have lowered reduces the risk of fungal disease tulip fire, and cooler temperatures mean bulbs are less likely to rot. Plant tulips in full sun, burying them at a depth that's three times the height of the bulb. Tulips need excellent drainage so dropping a ½-inch layer of grit into the planting holes first is a smart move. If you’re planting tulips in containers then mix a good handful of grit into the potting soil, too.

If it’s a while since you shopped for these spring flowers, you’ll soon find that tulips don’t have to look like tulips anymore! All these show-off varieties are fully hardy in zones 3-8, blooming in April and May when you can expect lots of curious neighbors asking what they are.

2. Crocus

Spring-flowering crocus are incredibly hardy so can be planted in November but pick wisely for the best results. Botanical crocus flower early in January or February so have little time to grow roots from a November planting. Crocus vernus, however, blooms February to April, and their bigger bulb-like corms are tougher and store more energy.

While botanical crocus have tiny blooms, the goblet-shaped flowers of Crocus vernus grow to a far more noticeable 5 inches high. And, whether you want to welcome spring into your garden with pristine white petals or drifts of carnival color, there’s a variety to suit. Plant Crocus vernus at a depth that’s equal to three times the corm’s height, in sun or partial shade in zones 4-8, adding ¼ inch of grit to the bottom of each hole, and the bulbs will quickly naturalize. A favorite spot for these crocus is under deciduous trees where bare branches give them the early spring sunshine they need to flower well.

3. Dutch Iris

These little lovelies only grow 18-24 inches tall but they really punch above their height with orchid-like flowers in saturated colors, and florists prize them highly. Dutch iris are better planted in November as any earlier and the bulbs can start sending up their green shoots prematurely, when the tender growth is quickly knobbled by cold weather.

Because these spectacular flowers sit atop a single slender stem, Dutch iris bulbs look better planted in groups, which makes them easier to bury, too. Dig a hole around 6 inches deep in full sun, mix a handful of grit into the soil, and add the bulbs 3 inches apart. In containers, you can pack them more closely at 2 inches apart.

Iris x hollandica bulbs are hardy in zones 5-9, but in zone 5 they benefit from a mulch of shredded leaves thrown over the top to keep them cozy. You can also plant these bulbs in zones 3 and 4 in pots in an unheated greenhouse, ready to move outside when the worst of the winter is over. Dutch iris is a little later to flower than most spring bulbs from May into June, providing a seamless transition into summer.

4. Alliums

These ornamental onions are very relaxed when it comes to when they’re planted and, although most folk get their alliums into the ground in October, as long as the soil isn’t frozen solid, they’ll flourish from a November planting. There are dozens of allium varieties with flowers ranging from small pom poms to huge spheres, lasting for up to a month then drying into structural seedheads.

As the size of the bulbs ranges as much as the blooms, use the usual rule of thumb to plant bulbs at a depth equivalent to three times their height. All alliums need full sun, where they’ll thrive in zones 4-9, and be sure to line holes with a layer of grit. While there are alliums that flower in summer, all my recommendations are late spring varieties that bloom from April into June.

5. Hyacinths

There’s one big reason why you should add hyacinths to your garden, and that’s their incredible scent. As the flowerbuds open, their perfume is fresh, reminiscent of cut grass. In full bloom, an intense and intoxicating floral fragrance takes over, warm with vanilla and spicy with clove. Then as the flowers fade, the aroma deepens and becomes more musky. The scent profile can differ by color, too, with purples and blues typically boasting the strongest perfume, while whites and pinks smell a little sweeter, and yellows and oranges spicier.

Emerging in late February, hyacinths add an extra dimension to crisp, cold spring days when their scent hangs in the air. Hardy in zones 4-8, hyacinths prefer to be planted once soil temperatures have dropped, so the bulbs remain dormant but still get the deep chill they need to flower. Choose a sunny spot and plant bulbs at a depth of three times their height, dropping a ½ inch layer of grit into the hole to prevent them rotting. Hyacinths also thrive in a pot, where you can pack bulbs so they’re almost-but-not touching for a fabulous fragrance cloud on a patio or front porch.

Don’t reach for the standard pink, white and blue colors as there are now all sorts of tempting hyacinth tones to choose from.

6. Grape Hyacinths

Muscari are such tough cookies, they’re wholly unphased by a late-fall planting just as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged. And don’t fret if you’ve had issues with grape hyacinths spreading a little too enthusiastically before. While the classic blue Muscari armeniacum does indeed take over, newer cultivars have been bred to focus their energy on growing densely-packed blooms rather than invading borders so spread far more gently.

‘Delft Blue’ does naturalize but gently, and you easily prevent it from travelling far by snipping off faded flower spikes before they set seed. ‘Fantasy Creation’ has sterile flowers so only spreads very slowly through underground division. And Muscari latifolium has a clumping habit so will stay exactly where you put it. All are suitable for zones 4-8 and flower March or April into May.

Helpful Bulb Planting Tools

The more bulbs you buy, the cheaper they get, so if you end up filling your borders with beautiful spring flowers, speed the planting with a labor-saving tool.