Planting Instructions for Daffodils

	Sun	Fertilizer	Cutting Foliage
	Soil	Mulch	Plant in Clumps
	Drainage	Watering
	Depth	Dividing	Backsides

Sun - Daffodils prefer full sun, but will do well in 1/2 day sun - rule of thumb, if centipede grass thrives in an area, so will daffodils. Make sure you do not leave your bulbs in the sun for more than a few minutes. Heat will kill the flower bud within the bulb.

Soil - Rich, well-drained sandy loam is best soil for daffodils. Lighten heavy clay soils with sand. Soil should be free of tree and shrub roots. A well-prepared bed pays dividends for years in bigger flowers and bulbs.

Drainage - Daffodils will rot if your soil is not well drained. If you have soggy ground, elevate your bed(s) and add sand and compost or pine bark to lighten heavy soils. You may also place 1/2 to 1 inch of small gravel on the bottom of the planting hole.

Depth - Plant in a hole 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall. If bulbs are planted shallower, they will multiply faster. If they are a bit too shallow, the bulbs will pull themselves down into the soil if the soil is not too heavy.

Fertilizer - When bulbs are initially planted in October or November, broadcast a little super phosphate over the bed. Around the first to middle of December, before the bulbs sprout and foliage breaks ground, lightly broadcast a balanced fertilizer over the bed and annually in December after that. If you have a fireplace, dust your bulb bed lightly with wood ashes once a year. Commercial bulb fertilizers are also available. Soils vary in fertility so widely in the big bend area that it is not possible to give instructions that will do for every garden.

Spacing - Plant larger bulbs a hand-span apart in each direction. Four or five bulbs per square foot will give a fairly full affect.

Mulch - Mulch your bed(s) to keep the summer sun from cooking your bulbs.

Watering - Be sure to water your beds in the fall, when bulbs are putting out roots. October is usually a drought month in the Panhandle, so check your soil and water to keep the soil damp but not soggy. A daffodil in the bud and bloom requires a lot of moisture.

Dividing - Dividing will be necessary every three or four years. Dig if there are four or five obvious sets of leaves when the foliage is starting to die, but is still visible. Do not pull bulbs apart if more than a minimal tug is required to separate a "slab" (baby bulb) from the "mother." Crowded bulbs will require more light and fertilizer than those adequately spaced. Bulbs belong in the ground and not in the garage; replant promptly after digging. If you can't replant, store indoors in air conditioning. Many daffodils in this area have roots year 'round.

Cutting Foliage - Cutting foliage should never be done until it starts to yellow. Cutting or braiding prior to then will result in no or at least diminished flowering next year.

Plant in Clumps - Plant in clumps and the space between the bulbs can be used for other deep-rooted or dense perennials.

Backsides - Backsides aren't that beautiful. Daffodil flowers will face the direction of predominant sunshine, usually south or south-west. If planted on your south property line, the neighbors will see them more than you do. If you grow daffodils for cutting and indoor bouquets as many do, no problemo!