TIPS & GROWING INSTRUCTIONS: DAFFODILS
A successfully naturalized daffodil field can bloom for up to 30 or even 50 years! First, choose an area with good drainage and sunlight. An area where grass can be left unmown until the foliage has matured is ideal. Hillsides are excellent spots. The edges of woods are also good, if you are planting an early-blooming variety which will have a chance to mature before the trees come into full leaf. For best impact, plant drifts of like kinds and colours. Many gardeners “arrange” their drifts simply by taking handfuls of bulbs and throwing them about for a natural-feeling distribution -- just dig where the bulbs land!
When naturalizing daffodils, you will get the best results and many years of blooms by taking the time to plant properly. For most naturalizing projects, you will be working in uncultivated soil with thick sod, so it is necessary to give each bulb a small custom-cultivated hole. Usually, this means lifting out soil with a spade. One clever way to make precise bulb holes is to use a battery-powered drill – a half-inch drill with a 3” bit usually does the job.
Work up the soil from the hole with some peat moss, sand and about a tablespoon of low nitrogen fertilizer. Refill the hole to just below the planting depth with this mix. Next, add one handful of sand and then the bulb (you do not want the bulb in direct contact with the fertilizer). Then fill the hole the rest of the way with sand and replace some of the sod. With a sub-layer of rich, fertilized soil to send roots into, your daffodils will grow even stronger and bloom for years!
How to Get a Daffodil to Bloom
Spring-blooming daffodils (Narcissus spp.) produce yellow, white or orange trumpet-shaped blooms in early to midspring. There are daffodil varieties suitable for most climates, with most growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, and a few varieties, such as paperwhite daffodils (Narcissus “Israel”), growing in USDA zones 8 through 11. Daffodils flower poorly if they don't receive the sun and soil conditions they need to produce healthy flower bulbs.
1 Work a 2-inch layer of compost into the top 8 to 10 inches of soil in fall before you plant the daffodil bulbs. The flowers require well-drained soil rich in organic matter and at least six hours of daily sunlight in spring to bloom.
2 Refrigerate the bulbs in an open container four to six weeks before planting if your area doesn't experience temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. Prechilling the bulbs can help flowering, although most daffodils don't require it if winter temperatures are cool or below freezing.
3 Plant large daffodil bulbs 5 inches deep and small bulbs 3 inches deep, with the flat end on the bottom. Plant in late fall for unchilled bulbs or plant immediately after chilling in midwinter. Space the bulbs 6 to 8 inches apart in clusters of five to seven bulbs, and space the clusters 10 inches apart. Planting too deeply can delay flowering, and crowding bulbs too closely can prevent bloom formation.
4 Water daffodils approximately once weekly after growth begins in late winter or early spring. Provide about 1 inch of water at each irrigation so the top 6 to 8 inches of soil remain moist.
5 Apply a potassium-rich fertilizer, bonemeal or a bulb fertilizer in spring after flowering to replenish soil nutrients for next year's blooming period. Apply the fertilizer in the amount recommended on the package and work it into the soil between the bulbs.
6 Cut off the flowers after they finish flowering but leave the foliage on the plant until it yellows and dies back on its own. Cutting off the leaves prematurely prevents them from collecting nutrients, which results in fewer blooms next year.
Things You Will Need
Warning
Spring-blooming daffodils (Narcissus spp.) produce yellow, white or orange trumpet-shaped blooms in early to midspring. There are daffodil varieties suitable for most climates, with most growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, and a few varieties, such as paperwhite daffodils (Narcissus “Israel”), growing in USDA zones 8 through 11. Daffodils flower poorly if they don't receive the sun and soil conditions they need to produce healthy flower bulbs.
1 Work a 2-inch layer of compost into the top 8 to 10 inches of soil in fall before you plant the daffodil bulbs. The flowers require well-drained soil rich in organic matter and at least six hours of daily sunlight in spring to bloom.
2 Refrigerate the bulbs in an open container four to six weeks before planting if your area doesn't experience temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. Prechilling the bulbs can help flowering, although most daffodils don't require it if winter temperatures are cool or below freezing.
3 Plant large daffodil bulbs 5 inches deep and small bulbs 3 inches deep, with the flat end on the bottom. Plant in late fall for unchilled bulbs or plant immediately after chilling in midwinter. Space the bulbs 6 to 8 inches apart in clusters of five to seven bulbs, and space the clusters 10 inches apart. Planting too deeply can delay flowering, and crowding bulbs too closely can prevent bloom formation.
4 Water daffodils approximately once weekly after growth begins in late winter or early spring. Provide about 1 inch of water at each irrigation so the top 6 to 8 inches of soil remain moist.
5 Apply a potassium-rich fertilizer, bonemeal or a bulb fertilizer in spring after flowering to replenish soil nutrients for next year's blooming period. Apply the fertilizer in the amount recommended on the package and work it into the soil between the bulbs.
6 Cut off the flowers after they finish flowering but leave the foliage on the plant until it yellows and dies back on its own. Cutting off the leaves prematurely prevents them from collecting nutrients, which results in fewer blooms next year.
Things You Will Need
- Compost
- Container
- Potassium-rich fertilizer or bonemeal
- Shears
- If your established daffodils begin blooming poorly, the bed is likely overcrowded. Dig up and divide the bulbs, replanting them at the correct spacing. Daffodils usually go three years before they require division.
- Warm-climate daffodils, such as paperwhites, don't require a chilling period to flower.
Warning
- If you prechill your daffodils in the refrigerator, store them away from fruits and vegetables. The gas produced by ripening produce can cause the bulbs to rot.
How to Fertilize a DaffodilRelated Articles
1 Choose low-nitrogen fertilizers for your daffodils. Excessive levels of nitrogen promote lush foliage growth and reduce bloom numbers -- and may prevent flowering altogether. These plants prefer higher proportions of phosphorus and potassium, also known as potash. Slow-release 10-10-12 or 5-10-12 and water-soluble 5-10-10 preparations keep the nitrogen ratio low and provide plenty of potassium for healthy new root growth and development.
2 Feed your daffodils a granular slow-release 10-10-20 or 5-10-12 bulb fertilizer in the fall. Apply it to the surface of the soil according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, keeping the fertilizer off the daffodil’s foliage and roots to prevent chemical burns. Do this before the first predicted hard frost for your area to support the rapid new root development that occurs during the fall. Root growth will continue until the temperature of the soil drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the season. This feeding will sustain the bulbs throughout the winter until root development resumes in the spring.
3 Cover the area with a 2-inch layer of mulch to keep the fertilizer in place and prevent it from being washed away by seasonal water runoff.
4 Fertilize your daffodils again in early spring when the new foliage begins to emerge from the soil. Apply a water-soluble 5-10-10 bulb fertilizer according to the packaging instructions. Water-soluble preparations offer rapid release of nutrients the plants need for successful blooming.
Things You Will Need
Tip
Warnings
- Make Daffodils Bloom After Years of Being Dormant
- Get a Daffodil to Bloom
- Deadhead Daffodils
- Problems With Potted Daffodils
1 Choose low-nitrogen fertilizers for your daffodils. Excessive levels of nitrogen promote lush foliage growth and reduce bloom numbers -- and may prevent flowering altogether. These plants prefer higher proportions of phosphorus and potassium, also known as potash. Slow-release 10-10-12 or 5-10-12 and water-soluble 5-10-10 preparations keep the nitrogen ratio low and provide plenty of potassium for healthy new root growth and development.
2 Feed your daffodils a granular slow-release 10-10-20 or 5-10-12 bulb fertilizer in the fall. Apply it to the surface of the soil according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, keeping the fertilizer off the daffodil’s foliage and roots to prevent chemical burns. Do this before the first predicted hard frost for your area to support the rapid new root development that occurs during the fall. Root growth will continue until the temperature of the soil drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the season. This feeding will sustain the bulbs throughout the winter until root development resumes in the spring.
3 Cover the area with a 2-inch layer of mulch to keep the fertilizer in place and prevent it from being washed away by seasonal water runoff.
4 Fertilize your daffodils again in early spring when the new foliage begins to emerge from the soil. Apply a water-soluble 5-10-10 bulb fertilizer according to the packaging instructions. Water-soluble preparations offer rapid release of nutrients the plants need for successful blooming.
Things You Will Need
- Granular slow release 10-10-12 or 5-10-12 bulb fertilizer
- Mulch
- Water-soluble 5-10-10 bulb fertilizer
- Complete all-purpose 5-10-5 fertilizer
Tip
- Cultivate a complete all-purpose 5-10-5 fertilizer into the soil when you prepare new beds for daffodils. Use about 2 to 3 pounds of fertilizer for 100 square feet of garden space. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never put fertilizer in the planting hole. It will kill new roots and may rot the bulb.
Warnings
- Avoid using bone meal, which attracts rodents to daffodil bulbs.
- Don’t over-fertilize your daffodils. This can kill young roots and encourage root rot.
How to Propagate a Daffodil FlowerRelated Articles
Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) typically produce bright yellow flowers in early spring, although some types feature orange or white blooms. Most daffodil varieties grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 9, while some paperwhite varieties prefer warmer zone 8 through 11 climates. Daffodils self-propagate by forming new bulbs upon the main parent bulb. Dividing the new bulbs every three to five years gives you access to more plants at no cost and for little effort.
1 Cut back the daffodil foliage to 3 inches once it yellows and begins to dry, which usually occurs six to eight weeks after the flowers die.
2 Push the tines of a garden fork into the soil, about 4 inches from the base of the daffodil clump. Pull the fork's handle away from the clump so the tines lift the bulbs. Dig around the clump, lifting as you work, until the soil is loosened enough to lift the bulbs from the ground without damaging them.
3 Shake the excess soil from the bulbs. Inspect each bulb and dispose of any with damage, soft spots or that appear shriveled.
4 Break apart the new bulbs from the larger main bulbs. Twist the two bulbs gently in opposite directions until they snap apart. Bulbs more than 1 1/2 inches in diameter usually bloom the following spring, while smaller bulbs may take up to two years before they flower.
5 Plant the new bulbs in a bed that receives full sunlight and isn't prone to standing water. Bury the bulbs with the flat bottom set at a depth three times the bulb's width. Space bulbs 4 to 6 inches apart in clusters of five to seven bulbs. Water sparingly through summer and fall so the soil doesn't dry out completely. New growth emerges in late winter or early spring.
Things You Will Need
Tip
- Care for Miniature Daffodils
- Grow Daffodils From Seed
- Plant Daffodil Bulbs in Pots
- Split Bulbs and Store Daffodils
Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) typically produce bright yellow flowers in early spring, although some types feature orange or white blooms. Most daffodil varieties grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 9, while some paperwhite varieties prefer warmer zone 8 through 11 climates. Daffodils self-propagate by forming new bulbs upon the main parent bulb. Dividing the new bulbs every three to five years gives you access to more plants at no cost and for little effort.
1 Cut back the daffodil foliage to 3 inches once it yellows and begins to dry, which usually occurs six to eight weeks after the flowers die.
2 Push the tines of a garden fork into the soil, about 4 inches from the base of the daffodil clump. Pull the fork's handle away from the clump so the tines lift the bulbs. Dig around the clump, lifting as you work, until the soil is loosened enough to lift the bulbs from the ground without damaging them.
3 Shake the excess soil from the bulbs. Inspect each bulb and dispose of any with damage, soft spots or that appear shriveled.
4 Break apart the new bulbs from the larger main bulbs. Twist the two bulbs gently in opposite directions until they snap apart. Bulbs more than 1 1/2 inches in diameter usually bloom the following spring, while smaller bulbs may take up to two years before they flower.
5 Plant the new bulbs in a bed that receives full sunlight and isn't prone to standing water. Bury the bulbs with the flat bottom set at a depth three times the bulb's width. Space bulbs 4 to 6 inches apart in clusters of five to seven bulbs. Water sparingly through summer and fall so the soil doesn't dry out completely. New growth emerges in late winter or early spring.
Things You Will Need
- Shears
- Garden fork
Tip
- Although spring or early summer propagation works best, you can divide daffodils as late as six weeks before the first expected fall frost. Mark the bulb location if you plan fall propagation; otherwise they are difficult to find.