Guest Author - Tracey Anderson

While I always knew that not all daffodils were alike, I had no idea there were so many different kinds from which to choose. When it was time to plant our first bulb garden, we were overwhelmed by choices and possibilities.

Daffodil Divisions and Cultivars


There are thirteen descriptive divisions of daffodils; these include miniatures. Not all divisions do well everywhere; chances are good that your local nursery can point you to those that do well in your area. I like to always try a few of the less popular varieties – the kind that I can only get by ordering online – because we have enough space that if they fail it won’t be overly noticeable. If they’re successful, we have a springtime conversation piece! However, if your space is limited, stick to those tried and true varieties.

Order Early


Order your bulbs early if you’re purchasing from a vendor that will be shipping them to you. Often bulb catalogs begin showing up in my mailbox sometime in January or February. The vendors will take your orders and ship the product in time for planting in your area. If you don’t order early, a lot of the more unusual varieties might be sold out. If you want the most variety, ordering early is essential.

Planting


Almost every daffodil comes with planting instructions for that particular type. If, like me, you sometimes lose the backings of the packages that have the instructions, there are several “rules of thumb”. First, ensure that the site has good drainage. All bulbs need good drainage; otherwise, they tend to rot. Second, plant the bulbs approximately 2-3 times as deep as the size of the bulb. In other words, if the bulb is 2” in diameter, plant the bulb 4-6 inches deep. Colder areas might need that three inch protection, while 2 times the size is generally fine for warmer climates. Keep in mind that daffodils need about a half a day of sunshine, so choose your location accordingly. Most areas have more choices for early blooming bulbs since leaves are not on the trees yet, so the beds are actually getting more sun than they would later in the season. Third, attempt to plant bulbs that bloom at various times during the year. Our first bed had all the Muscari in one corner, all the daffodils in another, etc. When the flowers bloomed, the bed looked awful (ridiculous!) because only one section of the bed would be blooming at any given time. Mix up those bulbs! Do your research, and find out when your cultivars will bloom. When you're finished planting, add a layer of mulch to protect the bed from weather extremes.

After the Bloom


After daffodils bloom, what is left is a lot of not so great looking foliage. Don’t cut this off! Daffodils use their foliage to gather the nutrients necessary for them to survive the winter and ready themselves for blooming the next spring. This process usually takes about six weeks, so keep on watering! When the leaves start turning yellow, they’re pretty much finished with their growth cycle.

Keep a Journal


Keep track of your successes as well as your failures so that next year, when it’s time to order again, you’ll know a bit better what works in your yard.