When to plant daffodils in zone 3a
In zone 3a, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 26, plant August 3 to September 14.
The zone 3a schedule for daffodils
- Plant for a fall crop
- August 3 to September 14
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 8 ZIP codes in zone 3a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for daffodils.
Frost risk in zone 3a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 3a, the typical last frost ranges from about May 10 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to June 2 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 12 to October 1. For a typical place in the zone:
- May 10Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 26Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- June 11Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for daffodils
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant daffodils where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
How to grow daffodilsAll zonesDaffodils in zone 2aDaffodils in zone 3bAbout zone 3a
Sources
- Narcissus (Daffodil) - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox · NC State Extension
- Narcissus tazetta - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox · NC State Extension
- HO-11: The Narcissus · Purdue Extension
- FPS423/FP423: Narcissus spp. Daffodil, Narcissus · UF/IFAS Extension
- ENH1190/EP451: North Florida Gardening Calendar · UF/IFAS Extension
- Paperwhite Narcissus · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Spring-Flowering Bulbs (HGIC) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- Bulbs to Plant in the Fall · South Dakota State University Extension
- Spring Flowering Bulbs (FS1220) · Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- Plant Bulbs Now for Spring Color · University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
- Horticultural Activities for Fall · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Bexar County
- Autumn Planting For Next Year's Bulbs · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Bexar County
- Bulbs for Central Texas · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Travis County
- Hyacinth (Reference Desk Q&A) · University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
- Bulbs · UF/IFAS Extension Leon County
- Plant Bulbs in the Fall for a Spring Celebration · Penn State Extension
- Bulbs (Backyard Farmer) · University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Backyard Farmer
- How to plant flower bulbs for a colorful spring display · University of Illinois Extension