How long do bulbs take to grow?Updated 8 months ago

Spring-flowering bulbs naturally flower during spring, some varieties earlier in the season than others. The bulbs are planted whilst dormant in autumn and they usually remain dormant over winter. Depending on which varieties you choose, you can expect to see growth appearing between winter and mid spring.

Summer-flowering bulbs and bare roots usually start to grow fairly quickly after they're planted in spring. Bare root perennials in particular usually have some buds or shoots on arrival which continue to grow after they're potted up, but sometimes it can take a month or two to see growth. Tropical summer bulbs like caladiums, colocasia and scadoxus take between 1-3 months to sprout in warm conditions (20C or above). Dahlias, cannas, callas, gladioli, lilies and begonias usually sprout by May if planted between February and mid April. Most summer-flowering bulbs flower in their first year, but many bare root perennials may only produce leaves in the first year and start flowering from the second year.