A Spring Welcome
As a first indicator of Spring, Daffodils are a welcome sight to many after the long winter months. Their bright yellows and oranges, pearly whites and dainty pinks welcome us back to the season of growth and beauty. But what needs to happen once they’ve announced the new season and turned brown? What to do with daffodils once they’re finished blooming is actually quite simple and we’ll show you how to get blooms year after year. If you’d rather have a professional care for your seasonal color then make sure to get in touch with us to plan your seasonal color today!
About Daffodils
As a perennial plant Daffodils- also known as Narcissus– are incredibly versatile. They’re also quite easy to care for which makes them the perfect plant for every garden space. Their ability to grow in practically any soil type and comfort in partial shade to full sun allows them to be incorporated throughout a landscape. While yellow is the most common color there is actually a beautiful variety available. This makes them a great option for every landscape style.
Daffodils also come in different sizes from mini, ‘tete-a-tete’ to large, ‘Colossal’ so there is a size for every space. This in addition to the fact that different varieties have different bloom times increases their versatility easily making them one of the best flowers to add to your landscape. When planted and cared for properly Daffodils add brilliant, low maintenance color to a landscape year after year.
What to do with daffodils once they’re finished blooming
Having these beautiful flowers serenade you through spring is wonderful. But once they go limp and turn brown they can be a little unsightly. When this happens you can deadhead the flowers (just snip the brown part off) but leave the stems and leaves! Leaving the foliage will ensure that the bulbs get enough nutrients to survive until next year. Since the healthy stems and leaves continue to provide nutrients to the underground bulbs which then store them for the winter this is a vital part of the process. Once the stems and leaves have wilted and turned yellow then you have a couple of choices.
Leave Bulbs Underground
The easiest option is to leave Daffodil bulbs underground. Left underground the bulbs will grow and multiply over time. This will give you clumps of Daffodils naturalized throughout the space in coming years. To do this make sure the stems and leaves are left until they are fully wilted and yellow which will mean that the bulbs have gained all possible nutrients from them. Once that has happened you can cut the foliage back or even mow it over and your bulbs will be ready for the next spring as easy as that! Eventually the clumps of flowers may become too compacted. At that point you should separate and spread them throughout your landscape to enhance flowering.
Remove and Store
Another good option for ensuring that you get beautiful blooms next year is to remove the bulbs from the ground and store them over the summer. Wait until the leaves and stems have wilted and turned yellow to start this process so that the bulbs have all the nutrients they need. Then gently pull the foliage upward or use a garden fork to gently lift the bulb from the ground. Place plants in cardboard boxes or trays lined with newspaper for a few days to complete drying. Make sure to throw out any diseased or damaged bulbs during this process. Once dried you can cut the foliage off and store bulbs in paper bags in a cool dry area until the fall! Here in Middle TN we plant bulbs in November and December to get those beautiful spring blooms.
Conclusion
Caring for Daffodils is an easy way to incorporate one of the very first signs of spring into your landscape! With minimal work you can have gorgeous color and a multitude of blooms year after year! If you’re having issues with your landscape or need some tips for creating the perfect outdoor space make sure to give us a call for a consultation.
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