Guide to growing Daffodils - Narcissus
I wandered lonely as a cloud. Nearly everybody loves Daffodils, a member of the Narcissus genus; other members include Jonquil, Lent Lily and Hoop Petticoat.
Narcissus are grown from hardy bulbs and range from 7cm to 45cm in height; they have long leaves, and a cup or trumpet shaped middle surrounded by a ring of petals.
Daffodil flowers are usually yellow or white in colour and bloom in the spring. When do daffodils bloom? Daffodil flowers in the spring.
How to grow Daffodil
It is easiest to grow Daffodil and other Narcissus members from bulbs. When planting daffodil bulbs they should be burried about 7 to 10cm (small species) to 12 to 15cm (large species) deep in the autumn. They should be spaced about 10 to 15cm apart. When planting add bonemeal to the bottom of each hole. Daffodil likes to grow in sunny areas for best flowering. Ideally the soil should be of pH6 to 7.5 and have good drainage.
If growing daffodils from seeds outdoors then use fresh seeds (end of summer), sow into flats, and lightly cover the daffodil seeds. The flats should then be sunk into a shady part of the garden and covered with glass (keep moist). Germination should take about 4 to 8 weeks. Allow the daffodil seedlings to grow for a further two years before transplanting in the autumn. It will take at least three, and up to nine years before seed grown Daffodils will bloom.
Caring for daffodils
Daffodils are easy to care for and look after in the garden. When flowering Narcissus should be watered during prolonged dry periods and fed with a low nitrogen fertilizer every spring. Once flowering has finished cut the stalks to the ground. If you require more Narcissus plants then they can be propagated by dividing daffodils as soon as the foliage has died back completely.