Create Your Garden

Learn How To Plant, Grow and Care for Daffodils

Daffodil Flowers, Tazetta Daffodils, Poeticus Daffodils, Cyclamineus Daffodils, Double Daffodils, Jonquilla Daffodils, Large-Cupped Daffodils, Small-Cupped Daffodils, Triandrus Daffodils, Trumpet Daffodils, Narcissus, Narcissi

Daffodil Flowers, Tazetta Daffodils, Poeticus Daffodils, Cyclamineus Daffodils, Double Daffodils, Jonquilla Daffodils, Large-Cupped Daffodils, Small-Cupped Daffodils, Triandrus Daffodils, Tru

Symbols of rebirth and hope, daffodils are extraordinarily rewarding every spring, with their bright, cheery blossoms warming our souls from the previous winter months.

  • Blooming starts in late winter to early spring and lasts six weeks to six months, depending on your geographic area and daffodil cultivars. Daffodils flower only once each year, and they do not all bloom at the same time. There are early-season, midseason, and late-season daffodils. By choosing the right daffodil bulbs to plant in the fall, you can enjoy daffodil flowers as early as late December and as late as May, depending on your climate.
  • Daffodils are perennial bulbs. They grow back year after year and gently spread and multiply under good growing conditions, creating drifts of colorful flowers. This is because daffodil bulbs produce new little bulbs, and many even produce seeds.
  • There are between 40 and daffodil species and subspecies and over 32,000 daffodil cultivars available. They offer a wide range of flower shapes, sizes, and colors and are divided into 13 groups, based mainly on their flower form. Double daffodils, jonquil daffodils, miniature daffodils, and trumpet daffodils are some of the most popular daffodil groups.
  • Daffodils make gardening easy. Once planted, nothing is left to do: these bulbs can stay right where they are and produce flowers year after year. After blooming, remove the faded flowers to prevent seed set (unless desired for naturalizing), but do not remove the foliage until it withers.
  • As an added bonus, most daffodils are fragrant, and all are deer and rodent-resistant.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 9
Plant Type Bulbs
Genus Narcissus
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)
Winter
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Landscaping Ideas Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden
Narcissus ‘Actaea’ (Poeticus Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Baby Boomer’ (Jonquil Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Bridal Crown’ (Double Daffodil)

When to Plant Daffodil Bulbs?

  • To achieve optimum flowering results, it is important to plant your daffodil bulbs at the right time. The best time to plant daffodil bulbs is in the fall, from September to November, depending on your location.
  • When buying bulbs, select the largest ones. The larger the daffodil bulb, the more stems and flowers will be produced.

Where to Plant Daffodil Bulbs?

  • Most daffodils are winter hardy and can be grown in USDA Zones 3-9, except the Tazetta daffodils. Most Tazetta daffodils are not hardy to the more northern climates but are terrific performers in USDA Zones 5-9. This group includes the world-famous but tender paperwhites that can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 8-11.
  • Daffodils are easily grown in fertile, well-drained soils in full sun or part shade. Best flowering occurs with at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. In warm climates, some afternoon shade can help to prolong bloom and keep flower colors from fading. Do not plant daffodils in waterlogged soil (they are susceptible to rot) or deep shade.
  • Slightly acidic soil is best, so you may add soil sulfur if you have alkaline soil.
  • Versatile and long-lived, daffodils are perfect for beds and borders, rock gardens, containers, or window boxes. They look great around shrubs, under deciduous trees, or in naturalized areas where they provide spectacular drifts of color when planted en masse or mixed with other flower bulbs. For the best visual impact, plant your daffodils in groups (at least 6 bulbs).
  • In addition to their garden uses, daffodils are as important as cut flowers and even have some degree of importance as container plants.

How to Plant Daffodil Bulbs?

  • Dig over the soil to loosen it, at least twelve inches deep (30 cm), and fork in plenty of organic matter to improve soil structure and drainage.
  • Plant your daffodil bulbs with the top or pointy end up.
  • A general rule for planting depth is to plant the bulbs at a depth at least twice the bulb’s height, with a minimum of 2 in. (5 cm). Plant bulbs deeper in sandy soil than in clay. Not planting bulbs deeply enough results in poor rooting. The bulbs will emerge unevenly and produce short spindly plants. Planting too deeply, however, can result in rotting and late emergence.
  • Space your daffodil bulbs about 3 to 6 inches apart (7-15 cm). In containers, place the daffodils on the potting compost so that they almost touch.
  • Water immediately after planting and keep them moist until the rains come. Keep the soil moist during the growing season. Continue watering for three weeks or so after blooming time – then stop watering.

Several planting techniques can be used for flower bulbs.

  • One is to lay out the bulbs evenly over the location being planted. It would be advisable to start by laying out the bulbs at the proper distance apart to prevent unwelcome surprises when you come to the end of the border. Before the bulbs are laid out, the soil should be thoroughly loosened to a depth of 10 inches (25 cm). Next, you can plant the bulbs, and they can easily root.
  • The easiest planting method uses a raised planting bed. After laying out the flower bulbs, cover them with a layer of soil about 4-6 inches (10 to 15 cm) thick. After planting, the planted area should be evenly raked and then possibly mulched with organic material 1-2 inches (2 to 5 cm) thick. This will keep the soil from drying out, freezing or panning.
  • If you want a more natural look, it would be best to scatter the bulbs and plant them where they fall.
  • You could also plant flower bulbs in the grass. A piece of sod can be lifted for planting each cluster of bulbs. After positioning them, replace the sod. Once the sod has been tamped down properly, the planting location will be invisible after a few days.
  • Layered (lasagne) planting extends flowering by planting bulbs with successive flowering periods in layers. The flower bulbs that will bloom last are planted at the deepest level, and the earliest to bloom in the spring will be planted closest to the surface. This method can be applied when planting directly in the soil or in pots and containers.
Narcissus ‘Dutch Master’ (Trumpet Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’ (Tazetta Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’ (Cyclamineus Daffodil)

Daffodil Bulbs Care

After bloom care

  • Remove the faded blooms after flowering to keep your daffodil plants from investing so much energy in producing seedpods instead of new bulbs (unless desired for naturalizing). Deadheading also keeps the display looking its best.
  • Do not remove the foliage until it withers – about 4-6 weeks after blooming. During this period, they store energy in the bulbs for next year’s bloom. Cutting off the foliage before it has died back naturally may prevent the bulbs from storing enough energy. As a result, your daffodils may not bloom next spring.
  • It is also important that daffodil bulbs that rapidly increase in number should not be allowed to produce excessively large clusters since this can reduce individual bulb growth. It would thus be better, once the leaves have died, to dig up bulbs that are tightly massed together, split them up into smaller quantities, and replant them.

Feeding

  • Perennial bulbs, like those of daffodils, extract a lot of nutrients from the soil, so that these bulbs will need supplementary fertilizing. During the growing season, inorganic fertilizers are the best choice since they contain the exact proportions and concentrations of nutrients. They also dissolve easily so that plants can absorb them more efficiently.
  • Inorganic fertilizers should be used only during the growing season; applied at other times, they will leach out of the soil and be wasted. Also, be careful not to apply too much inorganic fertilizer; excessively rapid growth results in weak plants that are more vulnerable to diseases and pests. Applying too much fertilizer can also burn plants.
  • Flower bulbs used for perennial displays and naturalizing in borders and beneath shrubs will benefit from applying fertilizer just as their noses become visible in late winter or early spring. An application of 2 kg of 12-10-18 compound fertilizer per 100 m2 (109.36 sq. y) will do wonders. If you supply this in two applications with a week in between, the bulbs can absorb the nutrients better.

Daffodil bulbs in the grass

Grass in which flower bulbs have been planted should not be mowed until six to eight weeks after the flowering period. By then, all the aerial parts of the plant will have died and any seed produced will have had time to mature.

Mulching

Apply a thick mulch of organic matter, such as well-rotted garden compost over the soil surface in autumn or spring. This will help to prevent weeds and the soil from drying out.

Propagating

Daffodils can be propagated by seed, and division of chipping the bulbs.

Narcissus ‘Carlton’ (Large-Cupped Daffodil)
Narcissus ‘Ice Wings’ (Triandrus Daffodils)
Narcissus ‘Tahiti’ (Double Daffodil)

Pest and Diseases

  • Daffodils contain oxalic acid, making them deer or rodent resistant. They are toxic to dogs, to cats, and to horses.
  • Ingestion may cause severe discomfort. Can also be a skin irritant.
  • Daffodils are relatively trouble-free, but keep an eye out for slugs and snails, narcissus basal rot, and narcissus bulb fly.
  • Soil-borne pathogens and other living organisms can hinder the growth process of flower bulbs. By selecting the right planting material, choosing the right planting location, and providing proper care, you will get more pleasure from your flower bulbs. If, for example, you have planted perennial bulbs in a damp or shady location and you notice brown tips on a leaf during flowering, the culprit could very well be Botrytis. It would thus be advisable to cut such a leaf away before neighboring plants could be infected.

More on Gardenia

Great Daffodils that Come Back Every Year
Great Daffodils for Southern Gardens
Most Fragrant Daffodils
Best Daffodils For Your Garden and Containers
Paperwhite Narcissus (Daffodil)
Tazetta Daffodils (Narcissus)
Poeticus Daffodils (Narcissus)
Cyclamineus Daffodils (Narcissus)
Double Daffodils (Narcissus)
Triandrus Daffodils (Narcissus)
Large-Cupped Daffodils (Narcissus)
Jonquilla Daffodils (Narcissus)
Narcissus bulbocodium (Hoop Petticoat Daffodil)
Trumpet Daffodils (Narcissus)
Small-Cupped Daffodils (Narcissus)

Garden Examples

A Fabulous Border Idea for Your Mid-Late Spring Garden
A Fabulous Spring Container Idea
A Fantastic Border Idea for Your Mid-Late Spring Garden
A Pastel Border Idea for Your Spring Garden
A Spectacular and Long-Lasting Spring Border Idea
A Spectacular Spring Border Idea with Tulips, Daffodils & Bleeding Hearts!
Compare All Narcissus (Daffodil)
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Narcissus (Daffodil)
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 9
Plant Type Bulbs
Genus Narcissus
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)
Winter
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Landscaping Ideas Patio And Containers, Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden
Compare All Narcissus (Daffodil)
Compare Now
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Narcissus (Daffodil)

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