Daffodil Care

Daffodil Narcissus or Jonquil Bulbs are Easy Care Low Maintenance Flowers If You Follow These Simple Steps

Nov 14, 2006 Barbara M. Martin

Daffodils are easy to grow with minimal care. Nurture the bulbs in your yard or flower garden by correct fertilizing, mulching, deadheading and division.

At planting, a daffodil is a preprogrammed, self contained flower machine ready to grow and bloom so flowering the first year is virtually guaranteed, assuming you planted it in a suitable location with ample sun and well drained soil. (If you are just starting with daffodils, see How To Plant Daffodil Bulbs.) After that, daffodils are usually long lived and require little care. These are some of the best low maintenance flowers you can grow. Follow this easy guide to ongoing care and maintenance of daffodils (also called jonquil or narcissus) for years of enjoyment and flowers from your daffodil bulbs.

Most Important: Care of Daffodil Foliage

The daffodil bulb renews itself through its foliage each year. After flowering, the foliage must be allowed to grow and mature and die back. The foliage is a nice green at first, continues to elongate, and then turns yellow and finally turns brown, falls over and dries up. This process is critical for the bulb’s ongoing health and blooming ability and it can look a little ugly.

If you remove the foliage prematurely, the bulb will suffer and blooming will decrease or cease altogether. So wait until the foliage is about half yellowed (or more) before you remove it. Do not braid the foliage as this reduces the surface area exposed to the sun light -- and is a lot of work, too.

It is not at all necessary to remove the dying foliage; you may leave it in place and allow it to complete its full cycle and serve as a bit of mulch. For me, browning daffodil foliage is a natural seasonal event and a fair repayment for the blooms I enjoy so much, so it doesn’t bother me to watch it.

For suggestions on how to hide the fading daffodil foliage with companion plants see Daffodil Planting Tips .

Fertilizer, Compost and Mulch for Daffodils

If your bulbs are planted in reasonably good soil or in a flower bed you may not need to fertilize them. However, you can top dress (sprinkle on the soil surface) with a bit of complete fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or bulb fertilizer in early fall (when they are rooting) and very early spring (as they begin to emerge from the soil) if you wish.

You can certainly top dress with compost once or twice a year. Spreading organic mulch if they are in a bed, or mowing with a mulching mower blade if they are in a lawn, or allowing fallen leaves to stay in place if they are in the woods, also helps to feed the soil and keep the bulbs healthy.

Bulbs in a flower bed can be mulched in the fall. Apply mulch about three inches thick after several hard freezes have occurred. Waiting discourages rodents from nesting in the mulch. The mulch will help keep the soil temperature steady and minimize freeze/thaw effects.

When to Divide and Transplant: Why Daffodils Stop Blooming or Flower Less

Eventually your daffodil bulbs may become crowded and flower less as a result. You can lift and divide the bulbs in early summer as the foliage goes dormant. At that point you can replant the bulbs in their new location or you can store them in a dry and airy place for the summer and replant them in the fall. Larger bulbs will bloom better than small ones, but replant all of them. Small ones will bulk up and bloom in another year or two.

Your daffodils may bloom poorly if they are in a shady location. Sometimes nearby trees grow over time and shade a spot that was sunny back when the bulbs were planted. Transplanting to a sunnier spot will help. Give the bulbs a year or two to settle into their new location before blooming.

Deadheading and Self Seeding Daffodils

Deadheading means removing the flowers when they wilt and fade. Prompt deadheading can help the bulbs gain strength and produce bigger blooms the following year. If you do not deadhead, the plant uses some of its energy for producing seed rather than for rebuilding the bulb. This means blooms will be smaller next year. You may deadhead if you wish, it is not absolutely required.

If you are trying to naturalize your bulbs, skip the deadheading. The resulting seedlings help spread and increase your bulb planting. Depending on the growing conditions, it can take a few years for the seedlings to reach blooming size. You might opt to deadhead in alternating years to give the bulbs a boost while still encouraging some seeding. Whether or not to deadhead is a personal preference.

For More Information on Planting and Growing Daffodils, See

• How To Plant Daffodil Bulbs
• Daffodil Planting Tips

All Flower Garden Articles and Blogs So Far

Copyright October 28 2006 Barbara Martin All Rights Reserved

The copyright of the article Daffodil Care in Flower Gardens is owned by Barbara M. Martin. Permission to republish Daffodil Care in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Clump of Daffodils

18 Comments

Comments

Nov 28, 2006 6:18 PM

Barbara Bell :

A local community center in one of our poorer neighborhoods gives away free daffodil bulbs every autumn to anyone who wants them, provided they are planted for the enjoyment of everyone. This year the nearby elementary school received about 1000 bulbs and the children planted them around the building. It will be a glorious sight next spring to see them bloom!

Nov 29, 2006 6:25 PM

Barbara M. Martin :

What a terrific garden give-away! I am the biggest daffodil fan, there are NEVER too many daffodils in the spring. I love this idea.

Sometimes parks or municipal gardens will give away bulbs in the spring after they bloom, when they dig up the bulbs and plant annuals for the summer. (Then they plant brand new bulbs every fall.) A gardening friend of mine had tulips in every color of the rainbow by bringing home gobs of these freebies.

Any more ideas for free bulbs or ideas for community bulb planting?

May 8, 2007 1:52 PM

Patricia Chelius :

I saw the messages about communities giving away bulbs after they bloom in the spring. What is the proper way to handle them? Can they be replanted right away?

May 8, 2007 2:06 PM

Barbara M. Martin :

By the time they have been dug and set out for pick up I think it is probably better to hold them until fall for planting --unless they are very fresh.
Air dry the bulbs for a few days before storing. Let the foliage dry up naturally, then remove it. Toss out any that have been badly scraped or bruised.
Set them in a single layer with air space between them, in a closed paper bag or cardboard box (not plastic, too humid inside) or on a shelf in a dark place. It should be cool room temperature, maybe in a garage or shed.
Check on them during summer and remove any that show signs of rot or mold. Also, protect them from rodents. (Daffodils will be okay but other bulbs are sometimes eaten.)
Plant at regular bulb planting time in the fall.
Having said that, I have been given daffodils that were pulled from the ground leaves and all and dumped in a paper grocery bag. They were eventually delivered all wilty after being in the bag for a day or two -- my husband brought them home from someone at the office, you know how these things go.
I planted them "as is" and let the foliage cure. They were fine but they did not bloom until the second year. They were gorgeous, the original person didn't want them because they had stopped blooming --- they were just too crowded, nothing really wrong with them. I was delighted!

My caveat about planting them in the spring is the planting spot should be one that is not watered during the summer. That way they can cure and dry and rest with less danger of rotting.

May 8, 2007 2:11 PM

Patricia Chelius :

Thank you for the response. I want to move some in my yard and don't want to wait. I think I'll move them now.
It is a glorious day here in PA.

May 8, 2007 2:18 PM

Barbara M. Martin :

If they are in your yard, you can move them essentially risk free --- dig with root ball intact and replant immediately, water to settle the soil They will not know they have been moved. Basically it is transplanting.

If you want to divide clumps, if you can, wait until the foliage has died back then move them or lift them. Dividing tends to set them back, this way at least they get the benefit of whatever foliage they do have for the year.

May 9, 2007 6:48 PM

Kate Copsey :

curiousmom
At the risk of offending Barb by answering:
Flowering spring bulbs such as daffodils should not be dug up and divided the minute they finish blooming. Ideally you will let the foliage mature and turn brown. Unfortunately in public gardens this is not allowed to happen (aesthetics trump good growing practices). If you do get a bulb when it still has some green left,plant it as soon as you can so that it can maximize the time in the ground and hopefully give you a decent flower next yr.
Kate

May 10, 2007 8:56 AM

Barbara M. Martin :

Kate you are welcome to speak up any time. In my experience, there is usually a time lag by the time they are dug and distributed. If the roots have already dried out on the discard plants, in my mind there is no point in replanting them right away. But I would still leave the foliage intact until it dries up. Of course, that is NOT the ideal way to handle them!

If the question is, move it or lose it, I almost always say move it and give it a try.

If the question is, can I transplant? I say yes, if you dig a soil rootball and replant immediately. This is not the same thing as digging and dividing and having bare bulbs to work from. I have moved individual daffodils and "sods" of many minor bulbs "in the green" this way.

In my experience dividing always knocks all the soil off, so you have bare bulbs at that point. If the question is, can I dig and divide and replant while the foliage is still green, I say yes, you can do that, but it is not ideal.

If the question is, when is the best time? Then do what you said.

Sorry if my answer was not clear.

Jun 17, 2007 1:59 PM

linseyann1 :

any idea who would give free bulbs in colorado? i cant find Daffodils anywhere :( and i would love to have a Daffodil garden!!!

Jun 17, 2007 5:09 PM

Barbara M. Martin :

Nooooooooo, sorry, I don't know anywhere to get free bulbs in Colorado. It is probably a bit late to be looking for them in June, but you could ask around at your county extension, garden club, parks, and so on and see if anyone knows of a place that usually does this. Then be ready next year!

But, daffodil bulbs are usually sold in the fall for fall planting. Keep your eyes open for sales! Or, you might look into early ordering from the bulb catalogs. They often have good prices (especially if you want a lot) and some offer an early-order discount.

Good luck growing daffodils!

Jun 26, 2007 6:35 PM

beachluvr :

My daffodils have been yellow for 2 months and I am ready to move one clump. When I transplant, do I treat them as a new planting -- watering every day for a week and then keeping damp? OR less watering? If there is a chance I will kill them, I will not move them. I am in the South - hot and dry. Help, please.

Jun 27, 2007 7:12 AM

Barbara M. Martin :

They do not need watering the way a new plant would -- they are not going to take any up because they are dormant or going dormant and too much water could cause them to rot....
You do not have to replant these right away. Once the foliage has withered completely you could dig them up, shake off the soil and separate them, and store in a paper bag or cardboard box or on an open shelf in a dark place and then plant in the fall when bulbs are normally planted....

Apr 5, 2008 5:10 AM

Nancy Reller :

I have several clumps of daffodils that do not have buds on them. They are surrounded by other clumps that are about to bloom. They are not overcrowded. What is wrong with the ones without buds and is there something I should do? Fertilize? Now? Later? Thanks!

Apr 5, 2008 6:29 AM

Ann :

Hi,
I read your article on transplanting daffodils, but I think I need Daffodils for Dummies. I live in the house where I grew up. We have ample land. Through the years, landscaping has been done and unfortunately dirt has been removed that contained the daffodils that once lined a long area of our property. Fortunately, the daffodils have bloomed but in areas that are scattered throughout the property. I once tried to transplant them, but had no success. Please tell me what I can successly do to transplant them so they can decorate my property again. I did dig them in the fall and transplanted them the first time, but no success.

Apr 5, 2008 10:17 AM

Barbara M. Martin :

Hi! I dunno. Could be a bunch of different reasons. If these are newly planted last fall, they might have been undersized bulbs and will need a little time to bulk up and bloom.

Some varieties are longer lived and naturalize better than others; some just fade away.

Some varieties are just fussier than others about their growing conditions. If they don't seem crowded and are in a good sunny spot you could try fertilizing now and again in the fall in case that helps.

If they have been in place for a long time they might be crowded and need to be lifted and replanted.

Some bloom much later than others, are you certain there are no buds?

Apr 5, 2008 10:46 AM

Barbara M. Martin :

Not sure why you are having trouble. Since these have been growing on your property for years you know they are well adapted to your location... hmmm.

Fall is the usual time for planting bare bulbs. BUT fall is not the usual time for digging them up! Normally they would be dug in early summer and stored over the summer for fall planting later.

If you move them in the fall they should still be dormant, meaning not actively growing, when you do it. This means you have to do it BEFORE they start growing their roots. If you move them while they are growing their roots then they will be very stressed. If they had roots when you moved them, that might explain what happened.

Daffodils should be planted in a spot with good drainage. This means a place where water does NOT collect after a rain -- not in a low spot, not at the bottom of a hill, not in heavy clay .... A slight rise or slope is ideal. If you have sandy soil this is probably not going to be an issue.

If you planted them in a place that is not well drained or where water collects, then they may have been too wet and they woudl have rotted as a result.

Here are fall planting tips when you are planting bare bulbs. Pick a good planting location -- full sun all day or at least half the day, well drained soil.

The bulbs should go in pointy end up. (Grin.)

The bulbs should be planted pretty deep, say about six inches or so. Loosen the soil below the bulb to encourage the roots to grow down into it. (The roots come out of the bottom end of the bulb.) Very shallow planting can cause them to fail due to freezing in winter -- depending on where you are, this would be potentially an explanation.

After planting the soil should be firmed down over the bulbs and if it doesn't rain in a few days, they need to be watered to settle the soil and eliminate any air pockets around them. Sometimes poor planting technique can contribute to failure.

You can move them in late spring/early summer as well, either while they are actively growing (not a great time) or as they go dormant (much better time).

It is possible to move daffodils is in the spring but only if you are careful about it. Some people like to do this because they can find the bulbs very easily.

You can dig them up while they are actively growing and replant immediately -- if you do this you must dig them up very carefully with a shovelful of soil around the bulbs. Move it carefully so the big shovelfull soil stays intact. Re

Apr 5, 2008 12:19 PM

Ann :

thank you for all the info. I have to clear some things, though. Right now they are in bloom and are beautiful, just not where I would like them to be. *added note, many are in bloom, but some are bushy,full green shoots not buds or flowers. These are beside ones that are in full bloom* when you speak of the folliage drying before digging up in late summer, are you speaking of the flower folliage or the entire plant. As I recall from previous seasons, the green bushy part of the daffodil was green the entire summer.
I am sure when the daffodils were mistakenly moved b/c of landscaping reasons, it had to be mid summer since that would have been the time our family did that work. Thanks for all your input--maybe it would be helpful if I told you I live in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Apr 6, 2008 12:41 PM

Barbara M. Martin :

Daffodils send up foliage (leaves) and also individual flower stems with the blooms on top. The flower itself fades pretty quickly. You can snap or cut off the flower once it fades, but leave all the leaves in place until they dry up.
After the flower dries up, the leaves continue to grow for quite some time. Eventually, though, usually some time in June, the leaves turn brown and dry up and shrivel away as the bulb goes dormant for the summer. (This process is how the bulb refuels so it can bloom again the next spring.) In the fall, the bulb will send down new roots. The following spring, it will send up flowers and leaves again. The leaves refuel the bulb so it can bloom the next year, and so on.
In PA, I would expect the foliage to turn yellow and dry out sometime towards the end of June... that's a good time to dig them up.
Now, there are different kinds of daffodils. Some have foliage that is thinner and some have foliage that is wider, but they all have a sort of "grassy" style of foliage. If you are getting thick clumps of foliage, it might mean the bulbs need to be divided and replanted.
The bulbs propagate themselves underground by dividing. With age, one bulb will split itself into a couple of bulbs. This means that over the years what started as a single bulb eventually forms a cluster of many bulbs close together. When they get too crowded, they will not bloom any more. All you will see at that point is lots of nice looking foliage and no flowers.... but the foliage should die back.
If you are seeing green foliage all summer long maybe you have a mix of plants, perhaps daylilies?
Daylily (Hemerocallis) foliage can be a bit similar in appearance to daffodil foliage as it is also grassy looking. Daylilies are often planted as companions to daffodils. The reason for planting them together is that the daylilies start to grow their foliage after the daffodils have bloomed, and hte daylily foliage covers up the dying daffodil leaves.
And, in PA, the orange flowered tawny daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) have been very popular over the years. They would also survive being uprooted and moved -- very tough survivor type plants. And they grow in thickening clumps. (IF it is actually the old fashioned tawny one, that daylily actually runs and spreads, especially in good soil.) So I wonder if maybe that is what is happening for you.
You could dig one up and see -- daylilies have tough wiry orange colored roots, daffodils have bulbs underground.

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