How Deep Do You Plant Daffodil Bulbs?

The daffodil (Narcissus spp.) Adapts well to most landscapes and is a spring favorite. Bulb sizes range from small to big, with smaller layers measuring around 1 inch in diameter and an average bulb measuring roughly 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The rule of thumb is to plant them out of one to five times their individual height.

Growing Daffodils

It’s possible to grow daffodils as perennials at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 to 9. Planting time is generally in the late fall in temperate regions with average low winter temperatures of minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a pesticide especially designed for bulbs, and sprinkle it to the planting hole according to the recommended amount on the package label. Plant the bulbs pointed end up and at least three or four times their height.This ensures that the weak part of the plant’s stem is going to be buried deeply enough to hold it erect during its blooming period and beyond. Faded blooms should not be cut until the foliage has yellowed and withered. It’s best to leave the leaf on as long as you can, since it continues to funnel nutrients and energy back into the bulb.

Bulb Maintenance

Once established, daffodil bulbs can remain in the ground for decades, because most species naturalize, that’s the process of forming new bulbs from the soil which produce more flowers each year. This is only one of those secrets behind the broad swaths of daffodils found in ancient to mid-spring in certain areas where hundreds of those glowing yellow trumpets grace a front yard or a hillside. Once the plants are spent, it is possible to dig them up and store them to be planted the next fall, or simply leave them at the ground to naturalize. If the plant clumps become too dense and blooms become smaller annually, wait until the foliage has completely died back to dig and separate the bulbs.

Planting Tips

Daffodil bulbs do best in a sunny area and in wealthy well-drained dirt. Work at lots of organic matter, such as well-rotted compost or aged manure. While compost at any stage may not be damaging, new manure can burn the bulbs before they become established. While the suggested planting depths are flexible, placing them also near the surface of the dirt will give rise to breakage when the stems emerge and flowers develop. Planted too deeply, they all create are long stems and no or few flowers. The Northern California Daffodil Society recommends planting standard-sized lights at mid-November at USDA zones 8 and 9, about 6 inches smaller and deep miniature bulbs about 2 inches deep, spacing conventional bulbs six to eight inches apart and small bulbs four to six inches apart. If planting in clay soil that hasn’t been lightened with organic material, plant the bulbs 1 to 2 inches closer to the surface. The society adds that, in loose dirt, planting depths are not precise, as the bulbs adjust well to minor differences.

Pest Protection

Unlike other spring coats whose preference is attractive to pests, daffodils have a rather bitter taste they tend to avoid. This doesn’t normally stop critters from at least investigating that which you have implanted, and even if a small animal such as a skunk, mole or bush doesn’t eat the bulbs, it will frequently dig them out of curiosity, take a bite, then leave the remainder, typically in addition to the dirt. This can undo the work invested in planting the bulbs and rob you of the pleasure of seeing them open the next spring. Tactics to minimize or prevent this from happening comprise surrounding them at a barrier cage made from wide-mesh wire whereby they can easily grow. Put the cage in the ground so the bulbs rest on the base of the hole at the same recommended depth. Once they’ve sprouted, most pests will leave them alone. Another process is to mulch the newly planted area with a thick, dense layer of leaves or hay to soften any trace of the bulbs’ existence in the ground.

Factors

In locations where summers are dry, lights may be left in the ground year-round but should be lifted, or dug up, if you intend on growing other types of plants within that spot. Daffodil bulbs rot in soil that is warm and wet and should be dug up and saved for replanting in the fall. Daffodils requires plenty of water to develop correctly, a requirement that is easily met in rainy areas. Additional watering around 1 inch per week may be necessary in regions of limited rainfall or during dry spells. Mulching the bulbs with organic materials, such as wood shavings, shredded leaves or pine needles, can be beneficial, because these substances also help make the soil more acid, that daffodils prefer.

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