Growing Daffodils: A Beginner's Guide

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The Daffodil Growing Guide For Beginners Will Show Newbies How To Get Great Results

Growing daffodils is is one of the best projects for a new gardener who wants to grow beautiful flowers without having to be an expert. All you need for planting daffodils is good garden soil and healthy daffodil bulbs. You can even grow daffodils in containers if you don't have any garden space.

This daffodil growing guide for beginners is for newbies that would like to have beautiful daffodils in their gardens but don't know where to start. It really is easy to grow daffodils when you know how.

Many beginners make simple mistakes planting daffodils. I hope to show you how to grow daffodils the right way so you can eliminate most of the trial and error and have beautiful daffodils the first year and for many years to come. Even if you've never grown anything before,this lens will help beginners grow daffodils their neighbors will be jealous of.

This guide for beginners will cover the basics so you can start growing daffodils in your garden even if you've never planted a bulb before.

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Sunning Daffodils
Phillip Philbeck
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Plant Your Daffodil Bulbs At The Proper Time For Your Area 

Planting At The Right Time Will Ensure Success

Daffodils are perennial bulbs that should be planted in autumn after the nights are cool but before the ground freezes. A good rule of thumb is to plant your bulbs when the leaves begin to fall in your area. Most autumn planted bulbs need what is called a chilling period in order to bloom in the spring. That means the best planting time is September to November in most of the Northern Hemisphere. In hotter areas like the gulf coast region you can wait until December or even early January.

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Daffodils Need Sun 

But Not Too Much!

Daffodils will grow in full sun to partial shade. In hotter climates they will tolerate a little more shade.In areas with colder springs,they need at least a half day of sun.

The bulbs are often planted underneath deciduous trees in a woodland setting. Bulbs planted this way will get plenty of sun in the late winter and early spring when they are actively growing. By the time the trees leaf out the bulbs will be going into dormancy.

Bulbs shouldn't be planted under shallow rooted trees or they'll be competing for nutrients and moisture. Also, never plant bulbs under a walnut tree. They have chemicals in their roots that will kill anything you plant in their vicinity.

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Good Soil Ensures Good Growth and Blooming For Your Daffodils 

Prepare Your Garden Before You Plant Your Bulbs

Daffodils grow best in a neutral to slightly acidic sandy loam type of soil. If your soil is clay you'll need to loosen and amend it before planting your bulbs.

Heavy clay soil will need to be dug to a depth of at least 8 inches. A foot is better if you can manage it.

The best way to guarantee success in clay soil is to create a raised bed by digging in organic matter such as composted leaves. Don't add acidic materials like peat or cottonseed meal.

If you have a really heavy soil that doesn't drain well you can add coarse sand or vermiculite. Make sure to use coarse or sharp sand and not the fine sand that's labeled "play sand."

Remember-never compost walnut leaves.


Greensand
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Daffodils and other flowers thrive on Greensand because it supplies marine potash, silica, iron oxide, magnesia, lime, phosphoric acid and 22 trace minerals.Greensand helps to loosen heavy clay soils.

Plant Your Daffodil Bulbs At The Proper Depth 

The Deeper You Can Plant Daffodils,The Better

Daffodil bulbs should be planted two to three times as deep as their circumference. In other words, if the bulb is three inches around it should be planted 6-9 inches deep. Smaller species or miniature types should be planted about 4-5 inches deep.

There are several ways to handle a large planting of flowering bulbs. Of course you could dig an individual hole for each bulb but this time consuming and potentially back wrenching. The method I prefer is to dig a larger hole or a small wide trench and plant several bulbs of the same variety. Make sure to give each bulb room to multiply. Don't let them touch each other. When you've finished planting the entire bed you can fill the holes with soil.

Note: Remember to plant bulbs pointy side up!

2.75

2.75" Roto Digger Bulb and Plant Auger

This bulb auger will really cut down on the time and back wrenching labor that can be required to plant a large bed of flowering bulbs.An auger is a great tool for planting a new bulb bed.

You Need To Feed Your Daffodil Bulbs When They Get Hungry 

Daffodils Love Trace Minerals

Daffodils are heavy feeders of potassium and trace minerals. Feeding them too much nitrogen will produce lots of lush foliage and very few flowers. Many gardeners like to use bone meal to fertilize bulbs but it is an incomplete fertilizer and it may attract dogs and wild animals to your garden.

If you have amended your soil with compost you probably don't need to fertilize your bulbs the first year. In the second year you can fertilize with a bulb food that is low in nitrogen.

Covering your flower beds with a good organic mulch will keep your daffodil bulbs growing strong for years.


Atlantic Kelp Meal
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Kelp is full of the trace minerals that daffodils require to thrive. Atlantic Kelp Meal contains more than 60 minerals and elements, amino acids, carbohydrates and essential plant hormones. It also works great for container plantings.

Organic Bulb Food 

Daffodils Will Bloom Better With A Yearly Feeding

While it's not absolutely necessary to feed your daffodil bulbs at planting time I have found that I get better results when I add bulb food to the bottom of the planting hole. After the first year daffodil bulbs will definitely have fewer blooms if they aren't fed yearly in my experience. I only use organic products in my garden and this balanced organic bulb food will give your bulbs all the nutrition they need.

BULB-Tone 20 lb

BULB-Tone 20 lb

Mixed Daffodil Bulbs 

Large Bags Of Mxed Bulbs Can Quickly Fill A New Garden With Colorful Blooms

For the beginning gardener large bags of mixed bulbs can be a quick and easy way to cover a large area with flowering bulbs. Although mixed bulbs are probably not the best choice for a formal flower border they can be a great choice if you're primarily interested in having plenty of flowers to cut and bring inside. This large bag of mixed daffodils will cover 15-25 square feet of garden area if you plant at the rate of 3-5 bulbs per square foot. The mixture of different varieties means you will have blooms over a long period.

Mixed Daffodils For Naturalizing

You May Need to Divide Your Daffodil Bulbs In A Few Years 

Daffodil Bulbs Multiply Rapidly And May Become Crowded

If you've planted your daffodil bulbs in a more formal setting you may need to divide them two to three years after planting. When they become crowded narcissus bulbs will produce fewer flowers. You can dig them up and divide them and plant the extra ones somewhere else in your yard or share them with friends. If you've grown a valuable or rare variety you may even be able to sell them!

If you've planted your flowering bulbs in an informal woodland area you may want to leave them alone. Daffodils are very susceptible to fluctuations in weather. If you have a hot dry spring or a late hard freeze, you probably won't see as many flowers that year. Even if they do become crowded the new bulbs will mature and bloom within a year or two.

Radius Garden Tool Set


Radius Garden Tool Set

After You've Planted your Daffodils It's Time To Sit Back And Wait For The Show 

If You've Followed These Simple Tips Your Bulbs Will Bloom For Years To Come

I hope my daffodil growing guide for beginners has convinced you to give growing daffodils a try in your own garden. It takes a little work to get daffodil bulbs in the ground but once they are planted the work is over and the fun can begin.

You've probably seen daffodils growing on the roadside or near a long abandoned country home and wondered what kind of magic allows daffodils to thrive unattended for so long. You don't need magic or any particular talent to grow daffodils that will live for many years. A bed of daffodils that has been well located and cared for properly will bloom for many years,and probably for decades to come.

Don't be surprised if you start looking for places to tuck in a few bulbs every year. I hope I have convinced you that planting daffodil bulbs is not something a beginner should be afraid of. You're about to discover how addictive growing daffodils can be.

Great Reference Books On Bulb Growing 

A Good Selection Of Reference Books on Daffodil Growing

These books will help make you an expert on growing narcissus bulbs. Whether you just want more information of the best daffodils to grow in your region or you want to explore more advanced topics,there's a book here that will help you grow great flowering bulbs.
Daffodil Growing for Pleasure and Profit

Daffodil Growing for Pleasure and Profit

by: Albert F. calvert

This book from the early 20th century is a collectible that is no longer in print. It is a comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of growing daffodils and even gives tips on making a profit from your bulbs. This book was written before the modern naming system went into effect and many of the botanical names are different from the names that are used today. Although most of the cultivars named are no longer available commercially,the advice in this book is sound and comprehensive. This book is a must for serious gardeners,book collectors and history buffs.

Daffodils, Tulips, and Other Hardy Bulbs

Daffodils, Tulips, and Other Hardy Bulbs

by: Michael Jefferson-Brown

This book contains instructions for growing a wide variety of hardy flowering bulbs.Daffodils,tulips and many of the small early blooming bulbs are included.

Daffodils for North American Gardens

Daffodils for North American Gardens

by: Brent Heath, Becky Heath

This book was written by Brent and Becky Heath,well known daffodil experts who own and operate one of the largest daffodil nurseries in the US. This book has tips for all levels of experience from the beginning gardener to the advanced plant breeder. The Heaths grow hundreds of different types of daffodils and include loads of info on growing daffodils in almost any climate.

Daffodils

Daffodils

by: Don Barnes

This book by Don Barnes has instructions for growing daffodils for flower shows as well as in the garden.

Spring Bulbs: Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths

Spring Bulbs: Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths

by: Geoff Stebbings

This book covers every aspect of growing the "big three" early spring blooming bulbs:daffodils,tulips and hyacinths.

Introducing All About Daffodils The Blog 

Tips,Tricks and Interesting Facts About Growing Daffodils

The All About Daffodils Blog is where I write more about my personal experience with growing daffodils in my own garden. I also share growing tips for gardeners of all experience levels. This is where you need to go for all the best tips,tricks,and product reviews to help you grow the best daffodils on the block.

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An Instructional Daffodil Planting Video 

A good basic how-to Video on choosing, planting and growing daffodil bulbs.

Tips for Planting Spring Flower Bulbs : How to Find the Perfect Daffodil Bulbs

Discover the best places to find the perfect daffodil bulbs for planting in this free educational video series. Expert: Yolanda Vanveen Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a third-generation flower grower and sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Washington. Filmmaker: Daron Stetner

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More Daffodil Lenses 

These Daffodil Lenses Have More Advanced Information For The Experienced Gardener

These lenses have more specific information about the best varieties of daffodils for different climates. If you need to know how to grow daffodils in extreme climates or indoors,this information will help. There's lots of eye candy,too.
featured lens Daffodils For Hot Climates

Choosing daffodils for hot climates can be a real challenge for gardeners. Some types actually need a period of really cold weather to bloom well and sometimes southern winters don't oblige. To make matters worse sometimes chain store garden centers...

featured lens Paperwhite Narcissus Bulbs For Indoor Blooms All Winter Long

Paperwhite narcissus bulbs are members of the daffodil family (narcissus tazetta is the proper name) that are usually grown indoors in the winter. Paperwhites aren't properly called daffodils although other tazetta type narcissus bulbs that are g...

featured lens Daffodils For Cold Climates

Choosing daffodils for cold climates is really not difficult because most varieties will thrive in northern gardens. The freezing winters with frequent (or constant!) snow cover followed by cool springs are ideal for the growth and blooming success o...

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by TylaMac

Growing daffodils is one of my passions. If you'll plant some bulbs this year you'll be addicted to growing them,too. (more)

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