Daffodil Care

Basic Information

• Daffodils are native to Europe, North Africa and Asia and are generally the first flowers to bloom in the springtime, though some varieties bloom in the fall.
• There are somewhere between 50 and 100 species of daffodil that can be divided into 13 horticultural divisions.
• Daffodils grow to be anywhere from 5-inch blooms on 2-foot stems to half-inch flowers on 2-inch stems.
• Flowering season can last six weeks to six months, depending on the location and which variety you have.
• Daffodils are resilient to cold and even snow; they have been known to grow all the way up to the Canadian border. They can be grown throughout the South, except certain parts of Florida that are frost-free. A cold treatment is actually needed for flower bud initiation.

Maintenance Tips

• When choosing bulbs to plant, go with the largest bulbs possible.
• Plant the bulbs right after you buy them, as soon as possible in the fall so they don't dry out or rot.
• Soil should be moist, but not soggy.
• During the winter, cover the planting area with straw mulch to help preserve moisture and maintain ground temperature. Spread it 3 to 4 inches thick if several hard freezes have occurred.
• Use bulb fertilizer after leaves emerge from the ground. Fertilize a second time one month after the first application.
• Pinch off fading flowers before they go to seed. Grasp the stem between your thumb and forefinger to break off the faded flower head.
• Most importantly, allow daffodil leaves to yellow and die naturally, as they are necessary to produce nutrients for next season's flowering. Removing them early would stunt flower production.
• Dig up bulbs every three to five years after the leaves die and replant the largest and healthiest ones.
• Avoid over-watering or planting in poorly-drained areas.
• Daffodils can grow in the shade of deciduous trees with tap roots. However, it is better to plant them outside the drip line of deciduous trees rather than under them. Daffodils will not survive for very long under evergreen trees and shrubs or amongst ground covers.
• You can lift and divide bulbs by hand in early summer as their foliage dies. Replant bulbs in a new location or store them in a dry and airy place for the summer and replant in the fall. Transplanting to a sunnier spot will help flowering, but it may take a year or two before any blooming can happen. Remember to replant at the same depth the bulbs were before.