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.

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

Let the foliage die back. The

Let the foliage die back. The daffodils will not bloom again this year. If you live in a cool climate you can plant the bulbs in the garden and they will bloom again next spring. If you live in a warm region you need to store bulbs in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 weeks before planting them in a container or in the garden.

hyacinth, and daffodil

i just bought some hyacinth and daffodil. do i need to plant them close to an area that i can water them often. i live on 12 acres and wanted to plant them further out but i don't have access to water, would have to do it by buckets.

Re daffodils with black spots on them

I was wondering why my 1 year old daffodils have black spots on them. I can forward you a photo if you wish.

Are the spots on the leaves?

Are the spots on the leaves? It could be narcissus leaf scorch. It is a fungal disease that occures during wet weather in a mild climate. Remove the leaves with the spots and hopefully with drier weather the spots will disappear.

Daffodills in the deep south and Hyacinth

I am zone 8b and bought some Trumpet white/yellow daffodills at walmart very small pot with about 5 daffodills in full bloom in February so I was going to plant in the ground and after they die back I was going to look at the bulbs, dry them out and put in frig for 8 to 10 weeks and put back in ground. Is this correct? I have never grown daffodills. It says on tag its a annual for zones 7-10 and periennal for zones 3-7. So how can I have these year after year and what should I do now in that with them in that tiny pot. I also got some purple hyacinth early blooming blubs in full bloom and what should I do with them as well? ALso if I do ever plant in the ground should it be in a sunny spot in the South tags says it loves full sun 6 or more hrs a day.Thanks for any help.

Daffodills in the deep south and Hyacinth

Re: Orchids stopped blooming

I bought 3 pots of orchids at Lowe's the other year; they were full of flowers... but once the flowers withered, they did not flower again, except for one; the flowers are taking too much time to open. What did I do wrong. I follow the directions on how and when to fertilize and water them. Please help!

After orchids bloom they go

After orchids bloom they go dormant for about 6 to 9 months. When they stop blooming move the orchids to a cooler location that is between 55 and 65 degrees F. and begin fertilizing every other week with a 20-20-20 fertilizer mixed to half strength.

Re: Tips of my daffodils turning yellow

I bought a pot of blooming daffodils from a local grocery store; it started blooming already and there were lots of buds coming up too... the next day, I noticed the tips of the leaves were turning yellow. What would have caused it? the soil is just moist, not soggy and I placed the pot at a location where it gets plenty of sunlight in the morning until noon.
Please help me what to do.

It’s hard to tell what caused

It’s hard to tell what caused the tips of the leaves to turn yellow. Maybe there was a temp. change from the store to your location. Daffodils like it a bit cool. Maybe the bulbs are crowded in the pot. Hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy the flowers before the leaves turn all yellow.

Daffodils

For the past 2years have come up in December and don't bloom. What is wrong with them and what should I do. Thank you for the help.

Daffodils under Apple Tree

Dear Sir/Madam

I have a 4 feet by 4 feet bare ground surrounded by a concrete patio. A month ago I planted a Semi Dwarf Fuji Apple Tree in this spot after properly amending the soil with plenty of compost and a bit of builders sand. The tree was in a 5 gallon nursery pot and is currently dropping its leaves and getting ready to go into dormancy. I want to plant 4 clumps (6 bulbs per clump) of Daffodil "Thalia" bulbs around the tree. Each clump will be about 15 inches away from the tree trunk and bulbs in each clump will be 3-4 inches away from each other. My questions are:
1. Given my arrangement, will the bulbs naturalize and bloom every year (provided I follow all the care guidelines) or will they still need to be divided every few years.
2. If the plan I explained may have long term adverse implications on apple tree, would it be ok to actually plant the daffodils in 10 inch tall and 12 inch wide black nursery pots with drainage holes and bury the nursery pots themselves in the ground around the tree? This way if bulbs get crowded I can simply pull them out of the pot without disturbing apple tree roots.

What would you recommend. I live in central California valley (zone 9a). The bulbs will be in the southeast side of fence (sun till 1 pm).

‘Thalia’ daffodils are known

‘Thalia’ daffodils are known to grow well for many, many years. They will naturalize and our suggestion is to not plant the bulbs too close together. Leave at least 5 inches between each bulb so that they have room to multiply and thicken over time. The bulbs will not interfere with the roots of the apple tree. The tree roots will spread below the bulbs.

storage of bulbs

do i keep my bulbs in the dark

Hi Dave,

As you’re writing us in October, we advise that you plant your bulbs—about 2 to 4 weeks before the ground freezes.

Planting

I have 100 daffodils, 100 tulips and 50 Alliums in my refrigerator planning to plant in December.
The area planned has some morning sun on one side and afternoon sun on the other side of the site which is shaded by a large African Sumac tree.
I live in Las Vegas and the last 200 bulbs failed to grow in the very hot sun.
Is my planned area, shielded from wind, with a lot of shade desirable for these bulbs?

You need as much shade as you

You need as much shade as you can for the bulbs to grow well. If possible plant the bulbs earlier than Dec. to take advantage of the cooler winter temps.

The bulbs need as much shade

The bulbs need as much shade as possible to grow well in your area. If possible plant them before Dec. to take advantage of cooler winter temps.

Can I plant Daffodils and

Can I plant Daffodils and Tulips in the same bed as Hostas? I was afraid the watering of the hostas in the summer might rot out the spring bulbs. Any suggestions on something annual I can plant with my spring bulbs so that I have color all summer?

Whether you water or Mother

Whether you water or Mother Nature does (with rain), the effect is the same. So short of constant soaking, you should have no problem with planting bulbs near the hostas. (Under the "right" conditions, hostas can get huge after a few years, so be prepared to move or replant the bulbs, if necessary.)
As for annuals, you have your pick of the nursery! No annuals that we know of would compete with the bulbs. Go to the garden store, look at the plant tags for specific needs (sun/shade, water, etc.) and get yourself an array of flats that match the conditions in the space you want to fill.

I was cleaning my mother's

I was cleaning my mother's (now deceased) flower bed and the daffodill bulbs are bare of soil on top and the new, small ones are actually out of the soil. Do I replant them? Do I cover them with new soil? Do I dry them and plant in the fall? They have been blooming for the last 2 years and just in one spot. I do not know anything about growing them. Please help.
Thank you.
nj

The bulbs may be bare for a

The bulbs may be bare for a number of reasons: shifting soil coverage due to wind and rain, for example. This is a good time to lift (uproot) them. If you like you can discard the small ones; they may take several seasons to mature and send up flowers. Store the bulbs in a col, dry place until—as advised above late fall. Then, plant as suggested above.

Hello, I am from North East

Hello, I am from North East India, we live in a Tropical Region.

Last Winter I received Daffodils, Tulip and Hyacinth bulbs from Holland, I put them in a pot but all of them not bear flowers. Now, its mid June and the temparature here is between 20 - 28 degrees. My Daffodils and Hyacinths still bears a green leaves. Since, it is my first time with these flowers, how could I keep my daffodils to bloom for next season. Am I need to refrigate the bulbs? Or leave the bulb as it is in the pot. Monsoon comes with heavy rainfall during June to mid September in our place, would the rain spoils the bulb if I keep as it is?

once the daffodils are done

once the daffodils are done blooming do I trim the leaves or let them turn brown and then pull them out?

Allow the leaves to turn

Allow the leaves to turn brown and dry before trimming the foliage. You do not have to lift (remove) the bulbs from the soil for next season. See "Care" above for details.

I received a daffodil plant

I received a daffodil plant for Mother's Day and it has started to wilt. I live in a NYC apartment with no outdoor space or garden. Do you have suggestions for how I might preserve and replant ? Thx!

Hi NYC, Once the blossoms

Hi NYC, Once the blossoms face, keep watering the plant until the leaves yellow and die back. Then, gently remove the bulbs from the pot, remove all the dead foliage, brush off dry soil, and store the bulbs in a cool, dry place. You can replant in the fall. You may find this page helpful: https://www.oldhousegardens.co...

Question about yellowing

Question about yellowing leaves - do I trim/cut them or leave them alone? Thanks.

Leave them alone until they

Leave them alone until they die off. They need time after blooming to store energy in the bulbs for next year.

My daffodils are dying. They

My daffodils are dying. They are outside by front door in a planting pot. At first I though they were getting enough water so I was watering them more. That didn't work so I thought maybe its in the shade too much so I relocated to get more sun and its getting worse. The green leafs are starting to brown. What am I doing wrong? How often should I be watering them and how much? Are they now getting too much sun?