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

The reason most gardeners

The reason most gardeners sprinkle ground oyster shell over the surface of the garden is to deter digging from rodents and other bests.

While visiting in England,

While visiting in England, and seeing the gorgeous daffodils planted in long rows, I inquired about what to do with them after they bloomed. I was told to take off the flower stem, and then tie each plant with a single knot so that the leaves lie rather flat to the ground. The leaves remain green and then just turn yellow. I have done this with the daffodils I have planted, and each year they have come up just fine. I have then been able to plant other annuals in front of them, as the daffodils leaves then don't overshadow the annuals. Is this a good practice?

Hi, Avis, Hard to argue with

Hi, Avis, Hard to argue with the Brits. One of our editors just returned from the Chelsea Garden Show and they grounds are AMAZING! (Take a peak: http://www.almanac.com/blog/ed...)
But back to your daffs: The leaves enable the bulb to prepare for its show (bloom) next year. Tying "up" the foliage is not recommended because it reduces the are of the leaf that is exposed to sun. Take care that your annuals don't overshadow the daff foliage. It can be removed after it turns brown; when that will be (how long it might take) depends on several variables—bulb type and weather for starters.
Hope this helps.

I have some daffodils that I

I have some daffodils that I had to dig up. Do i cut the dangling roots off or leave them on. I plan to let them dry out and put them in the freezer in July to be planted in Oct. I live in Kentucky. Is this the correct way to handle them.

The leaves manufacture food

The leaves manufacture food so leave the bulbs/plants in the ground for about 8 weeks after they flower to allow the foliage to dry up on its own. Don't tie up or otherwise alter the foliage. You can remove the flower head, when it is spent to avoid seed production.
When you lift the bulbs, brush off any dirt and put the bulbs aside in a temperate, dry area where they will get good circulation but not on top of each other. Some folks use shallow trays or old nylon stockings or onion bags or vermiculite.
The freezer is too severe. The refrigerator is a better choice. The time required is 12 to 16 weeks. Do not place apples or other ethylene-producing products in the fridge you are using for the bulbs but do not wrap the bulbs in plastic either; they need to breathe.

I planted daffodils about

I planted daffodils about three years ago and they have bloomed every year. My question is...this year we seem to have a bulb growing at the base of each closed flower. Is this reproduction or am i seeing something else?

Yes, the "bulb" you see is

Yes, the "bulb" you see is where the ovule is found (in the ovary) of wild daffodils. That is where seeds develop. It can take 5 to 7 years for a seed to become a plant.
The bulb in the ground is a quicker way for daffodils to reproduce.
For more on see see here: http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203...

Can these bulbs be cut off

Can these bulbs be cut off and replanted in another area?

i need to know if i can dig

i need to know if i can dig up my daffodils that are growing in apatio pot before they all stop flowering? or should I wait until lesves turn brown.

I have been searching off and

I have been searching off and on for months about tee tiny bulbs I dug up and I think I FINALLY may have found what I have been looking for....ovule - seeds of daffodils bulbs. An aunt gave me apprx 25 bulbs ten plus years ago. I planted them. They got covered and layered with leaves. It was suppose to a temp spot. I dug up last year what became apprx over 200 bulb/seeds. Bulbs came came up, didn't bloom, not ready. Didn't understand why no more greenery came up than what I transplanted. Wish me luck. She has recently passed and I really want to dedicate a really nice large area in memory of her calling them Aunt Jo's.

I have these double daffs

I have these double daffs along my walkway at my home. For years they have come up very green, grow beautiful buds AND THEY NEVER OPEN! They are in a sunny spot and believe they get plenty of water. Should I yank them out or is there something I can do to get the buds to open? They are double daffs.

Overcrowding can cause buds

Overcrowding can cause buds to dry up. If you haven't divided your bulbs the last few years you may want to dig them up and replant them this fall.

When my daffodil bloom is

When my daffodil bloom is spent is it proper to 'dehead' it or should I leave the old blossoms alone and let them fade away naturally?

You can remove the spent

You can remove the spent flower but leave the leaves. If a flower stalk produces a seedpod it is a good idea to remove it. This will allow the daffodil plant to focus its energy on the underground bulb.

I had to dig up my daffodils

I had to dig up my daffodils before the leaves died back because I was moving & wanted to take some with me. What do I do with them to give them the best chance of survival?

Plant the daffodils in the

Plant the daffodils in the ground as soon as possible or plant them in a container with soil.

Thank you!

I have double daffodils and

I have double daffodils and they have not bloomed for three years. They were weed eated in the spring but I don't know if the leaves had died or not. Will they bloom again or do I need to dig them up. Is it possible they need dug up and separated as they are not in big clumps.

If your daffodils have not

If your daffodils have not bloomed for 3 years it is best to dig the bulbs and move them to a sunny new location. Now is a good time to transplant the bulbs.

I have just realized I messed

I have just realized I messed up big time. When my daffodils quit blooming the are all across my front yard, I have my husband mow them down. NOT GOOD...I won't do that again. But tell me, those that did not bloom this year because we mowed them down last year, will they come up and bloom next spring or do I need to dig everything up and try again? I know I have messed up, but is it fixable?

Deb Woodhouse
Springdale, AR

If you cut back the leaves

If you cut back the leaves once they have died and yellowed this spring, there is a chance they will bloom next year.

I live in Northern Michigan

I live in Northern Michigan and have some potted daffodils that I would like to plant for next spring. Should I let them die back and follow the cleaning/refrigeration method and plant them in a couple months or wait until fall? Thanks!

You should let the daffodils

You should let the daffodils die back in their pots, place them outside if temperatures allow. Once you have removed the dead, yellow leaves, you can plant the bulbs in the ground.

If daffodils are pruned

If daffodils are pruned before the leaves die down I realize they won't bloom the next year but will they be able to bloom in two years? Here's my situation. I bought some wild daffodil bulbs from ebay and when they came they were trimmed with about 4" of some foliage remaining. Most had yellow foliage but some was still green. So the ones still green probably won't bloom next year but could they the following year or not? Thanks for any information.

If you cut back the leaves

If you cut back the leaves once they have died and yellowed this spring, there is a chance they will bloom next year.

Last spring my mom and I

Last spring my mom and I transplanted quite a few daffodils from my grandmothers house to mine. They successfully browned out and I cut them down as recommended. All but one group of bulbs have successfully sprouted and have blooms. My question is regarding the group that didn't come up.. are they dead? They were all planted the same day. Should I dig them up and move some bulbs to fill in the gap it the fall or wait a year to see if they appear next year?

Wait until the daffodils are

Wait until the daffodils are dormant (end of summer or early autumn) to check the bulbs and maybe transplant some. The daffodils that didn't grow this year will probably not come up next spring.

I have daffodils I bought at

I have daffodils I bought at a grocery store. I live in Florida. Can someone help me understand:

do I leave them in the small pot or can I transplant them into a bigger pot?

When they stop blooming do I take the bulbs out of the pot and put them in a dark spot in the back room or leave them in the soil?

I could not find anything on Southwest Florida daffodil care. Thank you.

Hi Cindy, After the leaves

Hi Cindy,
After the leaves have turned brown remove the bulbs from the pot and let them dry out. Put the dry bulbs in a paper bag and put them in the refrigerator for 8-10 weeks. Then plant them in a bigger pot and put the pot in a sunny location.

When is the best time to

When is the best time to separate overcrowded daffodils?

Also, do you dig the bulbs up & store them & them replant them at a certain time of year?

Detailed directions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.