Growing Daffodils

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Daffodils

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The bright yellow blooms of daffodils are a wonderful sign of spring—but do you know how and when to plant them properly? Here are tips on planting daffodil bulbs, caring for daffodils, and what to do after they flower.

About Daffodils

Daffodils are a hardy and easy perennial that grows in most regions of North America, except in the hottest, wettest areas, such as South Florida. Daffodils are a fall-planted bulb, so plant them in autumn and they will bloom in late winter or early spring.

The traditional daffodil flower may be a showy yellow or white, with six petals and a trumpet-shape central corona, but many cultivated varieties (“cultivars”) exist today. Leafless stems bear between 1 and 20 flowers; sometimes the flowers need to be staked so that they don’t weigh down the stems.

Daffodils are suitable for planting between shrubs or in a border, or for forcing blooms indoors. They look wonderful in a woodland garden and in large groves. You’ll find that many gardeners plant the bulbs not just by the dozens but by the hundreds! Daffodil flowers also make for great springtime cut flowers.

Planting

When to Plant Daffodils

Plant daffodil bulbs in the fall—about 2 to 4 weeks before the ground freezes. See local frost dates and get more tips on planting fall bulbs.

Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site

Select a site that offers full sun or partial sun, at the least. Daffodils will bloom best when given adequate exposure to early spring sunshine!
Most daffodils tolerate a range of soils but grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is kept moist during the growing season. They are susceptible to rot when kept too wet, so make sure that you plant them in a well-draining spot.
Many of the popular species prefer neutral to acidic soils, but some prefer slightly alkaline soils, so consult the supplier of your bulbs to see which is best for your daffodil variety.
Over time, daffodils will produce new, “daughter” bulbs that are attached to the main bulb which you planted originally. This results in nice little clumps of daffodils that stay relatively contained to where you planted them.

How to Plant Daffodils

Select high-quality daffodil bulbs that have not been dried out. The larger the bulb, the better.
Plant with the top or pointy end up about 2 to 3 times as as deep as the bulb is high. For example, the top of a 2″ bulb is at least 4″ deep (measuring from the bottom of the bulb) while a 3-inch long bulb should be planted 5 inches deep.
Daffodils will tolerate some crowding, but they prefer to be spaced about 3 to 6 inches apart.
It may help to sprinkle a little bulb fertilizer in the hole during planting. Learn more about preparing soil for planting.
Where winters are severe, make sure there are at least 3 inches of soil covering the bulb.
Resist the temptation to uncover spring-flowering plants such as daffodils and tulips. You can loosen mulch, but the shoots will still benefit from protection against cold, drying winds in early spring.
Daffodils contain something called oxalic acid—a substance that makes them unpalatable to most rodent pests. However, if yours are being bothered, consider adding sharp sharp pieces of shells or a pelleted rodent deterrent into and around each planting hole.
Get more tips for growing bulbs.

Daffodils in spring

Care

How to Grow Daffodils

Apply a low-nitrogen, high-potash (potassium) fertilizer after flowering if bulbs are not performing as desired. Learn more about preparing soil for planting and soil amendments.
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 daffodils bloom in the spring, allow the plants to grow until they die off. Do NOT cut down earlier. They need time after blooming to store energy in the bulbs for next year’s bloom.
To remove the dead plants, either snip them off at the base, or twist the leaves while pulling lightly.
Once daffodils and tulips have gone by, add bonemeal to the soil for next year’s blooms.

Pests/Diseases

Daffodils are both deer-resistant and rodent-proof, as these animals do not like the taste of the bulbs in the Narcissus family.
Daffodils can also be toxic to pets, so make sure your animals don’t munch on them.
The most common problems include large narcissus bulb fly, bulb scale mite, narcissus nematode, slugs, narcissus basal rot and other fungal infections, and viruses.

Daffodils in car

Harvest/Storage

Using Daffodils as Cut Flowers

When cut, daffodils should be kept alone in a vase, as their stems secrete a fluid that promotes the wilting of other flowers. If you must combine them, soak them by themselves for as long as possible, then rinse them and add them to the arrangement last. Learn more about keeping cut flowers fresh.
Note that contact with the sap of daffodils may irritate skin or aggravate skin allergies.

Recommended Varieties

‘Golden Ducat’ is a double daffodil with pure yellow petals. It blooms in mid- to late season and grows 12 to 16 inches tall.
‘Petit Four’ is a good choice for a partially shady site. The flower has white petals with a double cup of apricot pink and grows 16 inches tall.
‘Rip van Winkle’ is a miniature double daffodil that grows 6 to 8 inches tall and looks great in a grove with many others of its kind.

Daffodils with white and orange.

Wit & Wisdom

Daffodils are a March birth flower.
Daffodils symbolize regard for someone. See more flower meanings.

Here’s some daffodil-themed prose to brighten your day:

Daffodowndilly
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.”
–A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty.
–William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
–William Wordsworth, I Wander’d Lonely as a Cloud

Of Spring Weather:
Chillier, but daffodillier.
–The 1991 Old Farmer’s Almanac

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Reader Comments

daffodils' new home

We'd recommend planting them in the ground or in a pot as soon as possible. As long as the bulbs themselves were not damaged, the roots have been disturbed as little as possible (keeping as much of the original soil around the roots as you can is best), and the plants have (or form) enough leaves to make food, they should have a good chance of surviving. Plant in a well-drained, sunny area, and keep the transplants watered until they become established. Due to stress, the bulbs (especially of certain varieties) may not flower again for a year or two; be sure to mark where you planted them to keep track.

Although you didn't have much choice in this situation, in general, it is best to transplant daffodils after they have bloomed, or even better, after the leaves have died.

Good luck!

Daffodil

I just bought two pots of Daffodils containing 3-4 stems. One is blooming on each pot and there are flower buds on the other stems. Is it ok to plant these or leave them in the pot until they all bloom and die and plant in the fall? The temperature is 20-50 degrees - March 3, 2013.

blooming daffodils in pots

It is probably best to wait until the bulbs have finished flowering and the leaves have died before you plant the daffodils out in the garden. Once the temperatures are consistently above freezing, you can place the pots outside in a partly sunny, protected location to get the plants acclimated. (Gradually increase the amount of hours that they are outside each day, to avoid shock.) Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Once the leaves have died back, you can plant the bulbs in the ground in a sunny, well-drained location.

Blind Daffodils

Why have the daffodils I planted last year come up blind? What should I do with them, dig them up and discard or feed, or just hold on until next year when they should flower?? I don't know. Pse help.

Do you have only leaves and

Do you have only leaves and no flowers? If that is the case your bulbs may not have had the required cold temperatures they need to bloom. If you live in a warm climate dig the bulbs after the leaves die back and put them in a bag in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks. Then plant outside.

Is it too late?

I was given a starter pot today of Rip van Winkle daffodils that are already in bloom, would it hurt them to transplant them into a larger pot now? Or should I wait until they've died back into just a bulb?

If the daffodils are doing

If the daffodils are doing fine leave them in the starter pot and repot after the leaves have died back.

watering them once in the ground...

I got a beautiful pot of daffodils and they bloomed very nicely. The only problem is that I live in southern florida and we haven't had winter this year. I'm planing on putting the bulbs in the fridge like you suggested, but once I plant them in the ground, how should I water them? THANK YOU

Do not over water. Too much

Do not over water. Too much water will cause the bulbs to rot. Keep the soil moist. Good luck!

Daffodils

My son recently gave me potted daffodils. There were 3 blooms when I received them from him, but most of the ends of the leaves seemed to have a yellow tinge to them (my first thought was that they were bruised). Now the ends seem to be curling. Does this mean the beginning of new buds? I've seen gardens of daffodils, but never stopped to think how they become flowers. Can someone tell me if I have more flowers to come, or are they in fact bruised? Thank you.

You have bruised leaves and

You have bruised leaves and probably no more buds on the plant. The flower buds usually grow from the center of the plant. You'll see a stem with a bud on the top. Let the leaves die back and plant the bulb(s) in the ground this fall if you live in a cold climate area. If you live in the southern states you can put the bulbs in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks and then plant them in a pot or in the ground.

Thank you

Thanks for your response. I'll definitely save the plant & plant the bulbs in the autumn.

Daffodils going to be dumped

recently I visited my garden centre and they had a 25kg bag of daffodil bulbs I was told they were going to be dumped I offered to take them, I am planing to put them in pots as the are budding ,Will it work or am I wasting my timerossfarm6@yahoo.com

Not sure if you are going to

Not sure if you are going to get any blooms. It all depends on how the bulbs were kept. Daffodils need a cold resting period to produce blossoms. You can plant the bulbs in containers and see what happens. If they bloom great! You can plant the bulbs in the ground in the fall (if you live in a cold climate) and you will definitely have blooms next spring.

Miniature daffodils

I bought a box of these bulbs last fall, kept them in the fridge for 6 weeks, planted them very closely in a medium-size pot. When they came up and I could see the buds, I put them in a sunny south window where they continued to grow and to bloom out. They've now grown tall and are in full bloom, with more to come. Each large bulb must have 2 or 3 blossoms, the pot is in constant bloom. Only now, after 2 or 3 weeks of change, are the blooms starting to age and die. I'll carefully cut them off; I can see more buds coming.

I've had so much pleasure and beauty from this planting; I'll do it again.

I'm sending one of your daffodil cards as a Valentine. Thank you.

Basement daffodils

We just discovered daffodils growing in a pot in our basement. Turns out our daughter planted some that she found in the woods last year. They managed to get about 1-4 inches high without any sunlight or water. We've brought them upstairs and dribbled some water in the pot but have no idea what else to do. Should we plant them outside? Keep them in the pot until after they die back and then plant them in the fall? If we keep them in the pot, how often and how much should we water them? These are obviously super hardy but I want to give them a hand now that I know they are here. :)

Keep them in the pot in a

Keep them in the pot in a sunny spot. Keep the soil moist but not wet. The daffodils may bloom if the bulbs had a long enough rest in the basement. After they die back let the the bulbs dry out and plant them outdoors in the fall.

forcing daffodils

I live in the sf bay area and did not get my bulbs planted last fall. Can I still plant them?

Normally, we'd advise getting

Normally, we'd advise getting them into the ground in fall. The bulbs need to have chilly temperatures at least 6 to 8 weeks to get them to bloom.

Refrigerated daffodils

I have had some daffodils in my frig for a year (I bought them for my new house, but ended up moving in April instead of the previous November). Can I still plant them? should I wait until it is really cold before I plant them? I live in Zone 9 in California. Thanks very much for your help!

refrigerated daffodils

You know, all you can do is try them. Bulbs can dry out if not given an opportunity to grow. They should be planted in fall to bloom in spring, so plant them now. And plant a few news ones so that you have some blooms next season, in case these do not come up at all or come up and not flower.

Daffodil

Hoping the daffodils take the march & april winds away ....and bring a lot of sunshine.!!!!