From picking out the best bulbs to storage and planting, this guide covers everything you need to know about daffodils. I’ve put together some helpful care tips and pro secrets to ensure you get those vibrant, cheery blooms that scream “springtime” in your garden and your favorite vase.
Buying or Harvesting Your Daffodil Bulbs
Daffodils are pretty independent and will self-seed if left to their own devices. However, if you want to take charge of where they pop up, you can propagate them using “offset” bulbs. Just dig up an established clump and gently pull away the smaller baby bulbs attached to the main one. Then, simply replant them wherever you’d like! If you don’t have any in your yard yet, you can find bulbs almost year-round at local nurseries or even your neighborhood grocery store.
Pro Tip: Managing the spread yourself keeps your flower beds from getting too crowded. When too many daffodils huddle in one spot, they start competing for nutrients, which can lead to fewer flowers.
Planting Your Daffodil Bulbs
Choosing the Perfect Spot
Daffodils love a sunny to partially shaded spot in the garden. They’re happiest in loamy soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. The golden rule? Make sure the soil drains well—daffodils hate “wet feet” (standing water). They do their best work when temperatures are hovering between 50°F and 60°F.
When to Plant
As classic spring bloomers, daffodils need to get in the ground during the fall. September is usually the sweet spot because the soil is just starting to cool down. Don’t get too eager, though! If you plant them too early while it’s still warm, they might try to sprout before winter hits and then freeze.
While you *can* plant them in the spring, don’t expect flowers until the following year. If you missed the fall window, a better bet is to start them in a glass indoors and move them outside once the threat of night frost has passed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Dig a hole about 2 to 3 inches deep.
- Make sure the hole is roughly three times as wide as the bulb itself.
- Place the bulb in the hole with the pointy side facing up.
- Give them a good drink! Keep the soil moist, but never soggy.
Pro Tip: Planting your bulbs at a generous depth helps protect them from deep freezes during the winter.
Are Daffodil Bulbs Winter-Hardy?
The great thing about daffodils is that once they’re in the ground, you can pretty much leave them there. The bulbs are naturally hardy; they store all the nutrients they need and stay safe from the frost underground until spring.
Storing Your Bulbs
If you do need to dig them up and store them indoors for a while, here’s the best way to do it:
- Deadhead the flowers as soon as they’ve finished blooming.
- Leave the foliage alone! Wait until the leaves have turned completely yellow before cutting them back.
- Clean the dirt off the bulbs and let them air dry for a bit.
- Wrap each bulb individually in newspaper and store them in a cool, dark place like a basement.
Pro Tip: Since daffodils handle winter like champs, you’d usually only dig them up in June. In the gardening world, we call this “over-summering” the bulbs rather than over-wintering them!
