Garden Tip 45:

DAFFODILS IN THE GARDEN!

It seemed to be a great year for daffodils in the gardens this spring. There a couple of things I do to keep them strong and flowering year after year. I cut off the flower and it’s stem as they go by leaving the foliage to feed and strengthen the bulb. I fertilize the bulbs at this time as well.

I mix organic Bulb-Tone with leaf compost and topdress this mix around the foliage. Daffodil foliage should be left in the garden until it turns yellow and collapses to the ground. I plant perennials near daffodils and their emerging spring growth help to hide the yellowing foliage of the daffodil. Over time daffodils become thick with foliage and few flowers. This is a sure sign that it is time to dig the bulbs to split and space them out.

Much the same can be said for tulips although they are not as strong as daffodils in their longevity and some gardeners even treat them as annuals. Darwin tulips seem to the strongest. I have Apeldoorn Red Tulips in the garden that have bloomed reliably for over 35 years.