Frequently Asked Questions

When should I order my bulbs?

Colorblends accepts orders for bulbs from the first day of spring until our warehouse is empty—usually toward the end of December. For best selection, we suggest that you order before the middle of September, when many items begin to sell out. Credit cards are not charged and invoices are not mailed until the bulbs are shipped in the fall.

When will my bulbs be delivered?

In the fall (late September through December) when soil temperatures in your area drop to about 55 degrees F. Tulips, daffodils, and other spring-flowering bulbs must be planted in the fall to establish a root system before the onset of winter.

When is the best time to plant bulbs in my area?

Cool fall weather arrives at different times as you move from north to south across the United States, so the answer is variable. See our Ideal Fall Planting Times map.

Can I order additional bulbs in the fall?

Yes. Turnaround time on fall orders is very fast, but we recommend ordering early, as some selections sell out quickly.

What does Early, Mid, and Late blooming mean?

These are relative bloom times within the spring bulb-flowering season, which varies from place to place and from year to year. They are intended to help you plan a sequence of bloom from very early to very late season. If you have specific questions, drop us a line or give us a call, and we will try to help.

Why do you pack tulip blends in quantities of 100?

This is the minimum quantity needed for a beautiful display.

Can you tell me the names of the varieties in your blends?

We can, but we won’t. Colorblends goes to a lot of trouble to develop blends, photograph them, and present them on this website and the catalog. Some competitors are only too happy to borrow our ideas. We appreciate your understanding of this position and hope that you support Colorblends.

Which of the varieties you carry are good for forcing?

Colorblends is focused on offering varieties that perform well in the landscape. We have some knowledge of forcing (i.e., handling bulbs in such a way that they will bloom indoors in winter), but we are not experts. These things said, if you are interested in forcing, drop us a line, and we will try to be of help.

Do you offer free shipping?

Shipping is never free. When you are offered free shipping, the cost of shipping is built into the price of what you are buying. The profit margin on bulbs is low. Meanwhile, bulbs are heavy and therefore expensive to ship. We could pump up our prices, as some of our competitors do, to cover the expense of shipping, but we prefer to offer a competitive price on the bulbs and show the shipping cost on its own.

Why do you charge sales tax?

We collect sales tax on behalf of the various states and localities that charge sales tax. The money just moves through our hands. Dealing with sales tax adds to our costs without providing any benefit to our business. But the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that companies like Colorblends now have to collect sales tax and forward it to the states that charge sales tax. We are just complying with that ruling.

Do you ship to Canada?

No. Shipping to Canada requires permits that we do not have. We ship only to the lower 48 states of the USA.

Do you have gift cards?

We don’t have gift cards, but we do have gift certificates. To purchase a gift certificate, please call us at  1 (888) 847-8637.

I’d like to mail in my order. Do you have an order form?

Yes we do. You can download and print it here.