Daffodils - Ultimate Low-Maintenance Garden Friend
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| 'Ice Follies' blooming in my garden - ninth year and counting! |
Plant once. Forget about 'em. Every Spring, they send forth their cheerful blooms. A warm hello from dear old friends.
Now's the time to start planning and planting daffodil bulbs. So many varieties to choose from! You can even support small-business bulb-growers by buying directly from them. Many of them are one-person operations who have devoted their lives to the hybridization and creation of new and unique varieties. Here's a list from the Northern California Daffodil Society:
http://www.billthebulbbaron.com/ Santa Cruz, CA
http://www.mitschdaffodils.com/index.html Hubbard, OR
http://www.cherrycreekdaffodils.com/index.html Cherry Creek, OR (You can even name your own daffodil!)
http://www.asis.com/users/nwilson/index.html Garberville, CA
https://store.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/ Gloucester, VA
Here's some tips to get the biggest bang for your buck:
- Plant varieties that have a good track record for naturalizing in your area. Try these suggestions from the American Daffodil Society: Ice Follies, Tete-a-Tete, Flower Record, Delibes, Unsurpassable, Barrett Browning, Scarlet Gem, Geranium, Cheerfulness, Peeping Tom, Mount Hood, Spellbinder, Carlton, and Viking. In Northern California, you can add to the list: Avalanche, Grand Monarch, Erlicheer, Soleil d'Or, Autumn Colors, and Golden Dawn.
- Plant in big clumps, 6-12 bulbs together in a large size hole (9-12" wide, 5-6" deep). It will look better in bloom, plus you won't have to dig so many holes!
- Plant in well-draining soil and in a sunny spot. Once leaves have dried and turned brown, it's ok if the bulbs are shaded, so under a deciduous tree works great.
- Don't remove foliage from spent flowers until they've turned completely brown. The leaves make food for the bulbs for the following year's flowers.
- Avoid watering during the summer months when bulbs are dormant.
Now, sit back and enjoy years of repeat blooms!
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