Daffodils

You know spring has arrived when the bright yellow of daffodils come up from the earth! This easy growing perennial flower comes in showy yellow or white flowers with six petals and a trumpet-shape central corona.

How to Care

Planting


Select high-quality daffodil bulbs that have not dried out. The larger the bulb, the better.  Select a site that offers full sun or part shade. Most daffodils tolerate a range of soils but grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is moist during the growing season. Many of the popular species prefer neutral to acidic soils, but some prefer slightly alkaline soils, so consult with our expert staff.

Plant bulbs in autumn, about 2 to 4 weeks before the ground gets hard from frosts.
Plant bulbs 1-1/2 to 5 times their own depth. Where winters are severe, make sure there is at least 3 inches of soil covering the bulb.

Daffodils will tolerate some crowding but prefer to be spaced 3 to 6 inches apart.
It may help to sprinkle a little bulb fertilizer in the hole during planting.
You can loosen mulch, but the shoots will still benefit from protection against cold, drying winds.

During the Season


Apply a low-nitrogen, high-potash fertiliser after flowering if bulbs are not performing.

Water late-flowering daffodils in dry spring weather (flowers may abort in dry conditions).

Deadhead plants as flowers fade (for neater garden appearance) and allow leaves to remain for at least 6 weeks.

Lift and divide the clumps when flowering becomes sparse or the clumps congested.

After the Season


After they bloom in the spring, allow the plants to grow until they die off. They need time after blooming to store energy in the bulbs for next year.

To remove the dead plants, either snip them off at the base, or twist the leaves while pulling lightly.

Once daffodils have gone by, add bonemeal to the soil for next year's blooms.

Daffodil