Prepare to plant the bulbs in the fall. After the summer weather has faded into fall, and the nights have gotten colder, it's time to plant your bulbs and start dreaming of spring again. You want to plant the bulbs before the first deep frost, which hardens the grounds and makes it much more difficult to dig holes for the bulbs. The bulbs should be planted when the soil is still at least 60 °F (16 °C).[1]
Plan to plant the bulbs within a week after buying them. They shouldn't stay above the ground for too long.[2]
Don't plant the bulbs too early, or they might come up before the weather gets cold and die as soon as the frosts come. They should lie dormant in the ground all winter and come up in the spring.