Daffodils are a cold weather plant that is the harbinger of spring. They like well admended, moist, well drained soil. Daffodils don't like to have their feet wet. In the spring during bloom season, daffodils can take a lot of water. It's said that they can sit it water during bloom period. This changes as soon as the bloom season is over, and at that point daffodil bulbs need dry soil and a period to go dormant. That dormant period is generally the hottest part of summer. There are exceptions to this rule, but it applies to the majority of the garden daffodils in cultivation today in the United States.
It's easy to plant bulbs after the soil has been properly prepared. The process is simple, using a tool of your choice, dig a hole in the ground and add the bulb so that the top of the bulb is approximately six inches below ground level; less for smaller varieties. Planting in clumps is the recommended method for most gardens. I plant that way, as well as in rows for my show beds. Some say that I engineer my daffodil planting, but I think it's more that I do it in an "orderly" method.
Insure that the location that you chose to plant daffodil bulbs is not where the water stands after a rain. Pick a dry, sunny location that gets at least six hours of morning sunshine, with good drainage. Make sure that the bed is a location that does not received summer water sprinkler coverage. Wet soil is one of the leading causes of the "scourge" of daffodils, basal rot.
One of the simple methods to assure drainage is to "heap" up the soil a few inches above the ground level around the bed to be planted. I usually try to get the soil heaped from four to six inches. Remember that in a couple of years the soil will flatten out and reduce your bed level, therefore, it's best to start with a substantial "mound" to plant your daffodils. In addition, mulch the daffodils well to reduce the weeds and to help improve the soil.
If it is hot in your location during the summer, you may want to provide some shade for the daffodil beds to keep the bulbs cool. It seems that the exception to this rule is jonquillas and tazettas, who enjoy a good baking. We have some on daffodil net that say that they use green mulch (weeds and grass) during the summer to provide shade. Most of my daffodils are planted where there is some shade. However, that shade is not evergreen, therefore it allows the spring sun to give early warmth before the leaves come out to provide the shade.
Another method is to plant your bulbs with companion plants that are summer growing and blooming. This will both hide your daffodils as they die back, and add color to your late spring and summer garden.
For more information, e-mail me at Clay Higgins.
This page last updated on February, 2004.