Daffodil shoots pushing through cold, wet ground are the first green in a Newfoundland and Labrador yard, and they come back with little help from you. Spring bulbs suit this province well because its winters give them the cold they need. The real choices are which bulbs to plant, when, and how to keep animals from eating them.
Best Spring Bulbs to Grow in Newfoundland and Labrador
Daffodils are the dependable core, with Fosteriana tulips, alliums and crocus filling in around them. In St. John’s the Canadian hardiness zone is 6a (a Canadian system that does not convert to a USDA zone), and this province’s winters supply the long cold that spring bulbs need. October is the month to plant.
Daffodils
Daffodils do well across the province, and they are the more reliable perennial bulb because they last longer than tulips. They also naturalize well, especially in partly shady spots under trees or along a fence.
Leave the leaves in place after bloom until they turn brown, and remove only the faded flowers. The leaves feed the bulb for next year, so cutting or tying them green means a thinner show.
Fosteriana Tulips
Tulips are often short-lived in the garden, but Fosteriana tulips perennialize well. That makes them the tulip to choose if you want a clump that returns instead of a bed you replant every fall.
Plant them in October like the rest. Treat the leaves as you would daffodil leaves, and let them yellow before you tidy.
Alliums
According to Iowa State University Extension, alliums, the ornamental onions, need the cold of winter to bloom. They flower at the tail end of the bulb season, after the daffodils and tulips have faded.
Daffodils are left alone by voles, squirrels, rabbits and deer. They fill the gap in a bed once the earlier flowers go over.
Crocus
Crocus are a small, early bulb that suits a lawn edge or a front path. Voles, squirrels, rabbits and deer will eat them, along with tulips.
Plant them where you can watch them, or tuck them among daffodils, which animals leave alone. Daffodils can even serve as deer training plants that steer browsing away from tender plants.
Newfoundland and Labrador — the year and the numbers
- State
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Hardiness zones
- 6a
- Last spring frost
- May 30
- First fall frost
- October 17
- Annual rain
- 60 in
- Lawn zone
- cool-season
- Source
- Environment and Climate Change Canada — Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010, station ST JOHN'S A · St. John's
How to Choose Spring Bulbs for Your Newfoundland and Labrador Garden
Your choice depends mostly on the spot and on who else visits the yard. At St. John’s, the last spring frost falls on average around May 30, which means frost comes later than that in one year out of two. Treat it as a marker of frost risk, not as a planting date, because bulbs go in during the fall.
Match the bulb to the problem you actually have.
| Your situation | What suits it in Newfoundland and Labrador | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Very cold winter | Daffodils | They are hardy and the more reliable perennial bulb |
| Partly shady spot | Daffodils | They naturalize well in partly shady areas |
| Deer, voles or squirrels visit | Daffodils and alliums instead of tulips and crocus | Daffodils are left alone, and tulips and crocus are eaten |
| Want bulbs that return | Daffodils or Fosteriana tulips | Fosteriana tulips perennialize, while most tulips fade sooner |
| Want a late bloom | Alliums | They flower at the end of the bulb season and need the cold of winter to bloom |
If you are drawn to ordinary tulips, plant them for the show and expect to replace some. Bulbs that need a long cold are no concern in this province.
Which Spring Bulbs Suit Different Parts of Newfoundland and Labrador
A province is not one climate, and bulb choice shifts a little between the Avalon and the far north.
- St. John’s and the Avalon Peninsula: the dates in this article fit best here, so October planting and an April to May bloom are the usual pattern for daffodils and tulips. Fosteriana tulips and alliums are reasonable additions alongside daffodils.
- Labrador and the Northern Peninsula: spring runs behind St. John’s, so bloom arrives later and frost lingers longer. Lean on daffodils and plant in October so roots settle before the ground freezes.
Wherever you garden, the bulbs hold their buds underground until the soil warms, so a late spring delays flowers without harming them.
Spring Bulb Buying Mistakes to Avoid in Newfoundland and Labrador
Counting on Tulips to Last
Tulips are often short-lived, and a bed of mixed tulips can thin out within a few seasons. That is money spent again every fall for a modest return.
Put daffodils or Fosteriana tulips in the spots you want to stay full, and keep ordinary tulips for pots and accent beds.
Planting Before the Soil Cools
Bulbs set in warm soil can sprout in the fall and spend energy that should go to roots. Wait until the soil has cooled below about 15°C (60°F), then plant in October so the roots form before the ground freezes.
Leaving Tulips and Crocus Exposed
Voles, squirrels, rabbits and deer eat tulips and crocus, and a bed can disappear before it ever blooms. If browsers visit, favor daffodils, and mix them among the tulips and crocus you still want. Daffodils are left alone and can draw browsing away from other plants.
Where to Get Spring Bulb Advice in Newfoundland and Labrador
Canada has no county extension office, so local help comes from the provincial agriculture department, local gardeners and the garden centre. Planting dates here follow the nearest comparable climate, so confirm local timing before you buy.
- The provincial agriculture department can point you to growing information for the province, at any time of year.
- A local garden centre or garden society can confirm timing for your own district, ideally before October planting begins.
- A local master gardener group or provincial gardening group is a good place to ask which bulbs have held up in your area.
Common Questions
When Do Tulips and Daffodils Bloom in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Bloom runs through April and May, with the hardiest early bulbs able to open in March. Later bulbs come on in late April and May, and a cold spring pushes the show back.
Can You Plant Spring Bulbs in November or December?
Yes, if the ground is not frozen. October is better because roots have time to form, but a bulb still in the bag is better planted late than stored over the winter. Plant for as long as the soil can be dug.
Do You Need to Chill Bulbs in the Refrigerator?
Most spring bulbs need about 12 to 16 weeks of cold to flower, and a Newfoundland and Labrador winter supplies it. Fridge chilling is for tulips and hyacinths where winters are too mild, so you can plant straight into the ground.