One of my favourite spring flowers are Daffodils. Their official name is Narcissus, but I prefer Daffodil. What is great about Daffodils unlike many specialty varieties of tulips is that they make much better perennials. It's extremely difficult to keep your specialty tulips coming back year after year here in our harsh climate. We've found that very few varieties can, and even those often peter out after a few seasons. We've had a lot more luck with Daffodils, and it seems every season new varieties are available more beautiful than the last. Today's daffodils aren't the simple yellow flowers of yesteryear (although I still firmly believe there is a place for those too). Daffodils come in many different varieties, colours and textures and as one of the first things to bloom in spring I can't help but become a bigger fan of them each year. I encourage you to look up some of the variety's hardy in zone 3, they are stunning!! I'll list a few of our favourites at the end.
Daffodils are easy to grow if you keep in mind a few things;
Plant the bulbs 2-3 times deeper than their height (a 2-inch-tall bulb should be planted 4-6 inches deep).
Daffodils like high-potash low-nitrogen fertilizer, and you should sprinkle some in when you plant them.
They will need ample water, (but not too much water) stick your finger in the soil to make sure they don't get too dry. If the soil is too dry, they will abort blooming.
Plant them in the ground not in pots or planters. The ground is much more insulating, and its unlikely bulbs planted in planters will survive our climate.
You can deadhead the blooms but don't get rid of the leaves until at least 6 weeks (allow the plant to dry and die off) after they finish blooming. It's really tempting to do this sooner, but the leaves are essential for providing nutrients to the bulb so that they keep blooming.
You should lift and divide the clumps when the flowers become sparse or congested (usually after a couple years).
Once the bulbs are finished blooming for the year add a little bonemeal and they should be ready for next year!
Daffodils are great for anyone who has rodent or deer issues as animals hate the taste of the narcissus family. They are also toxic to most pets so keep an eye out for that if you have cats or dogs. (ours have never tried to eat them but you never know)
If you plan on using Daffodils as cut flowers, DO NOT MIX THEM with other flowers! Daffodils secrete a sap that will kill the other flowers in your vase (with a few exceptions). For example, mixing Daffodils with Tulips and Roses will kill those flowers, but mixing with Iris's is totally fine! If you must mix them with other flowers, always condition them first by putting them in water on their own for as long as possible (at least a few hours). If you have to re-cut the stems, you'll have to re-condition them. This sap can also aggravate skin so be mindful when handing daffodils.
Now for a few of our favourite varieties (all grow in zone 3 or higher)(google them to see what they look like);
"Accent"
"Actaea"
"Bridal Crown"
"Carlton"
"Cheerfulness"
"Flower Drift"
"Flower Record"
"Fortune"
"Golden Ducat"
"Ice Follies"
"Ice King"
"Mount Hood"
"Passionale"
"Pink Charm"
"Pink Pride"
"Replete"
"Romance"
"Sailboat"
"Salome"
"Sir Winston Churchill"
"Tahiti"
"Thalia"
"Yellow River"
There are SO many stunning varieties, be sure to try a few!!
Happy Planning!!
M
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