Features and rules for planting and caring for daffodils and the secrets of agricultural technology

Daffodils are the first to bloom, which is why they get their name “flowers of spring.” Their beauty does not last long, just a couple of weeks. Daffodils are not capricious, but planting will have to be done on time, and care will have to be organized correctly. They are well adapted even to harsh climates. Do everything right, and large, beautiful flowers will bloom on your site in the spring.

When is it better to plant daffodils - in spring or autumn?

In which month to plant daffodils depends on the climatic conditions of the area in which you live. In autumn, the bulbs are immediately planted in the ground. In spring, two months before planting, they will have to be placed in the refrigerator.

What is the advantage of planting in the fall?

Narcissus is a bulbous crop. And it is often planted in the ground in the fall. A good root system, which the bulbs will have time to grow, is the key to the problems of surviving the winter, and the formed buds are a guarantee of strong strong flower stalks released with the first warm days.

This could be September, less often - early October. It is important that the temperature in the soil stays at 8-10 °C for two weeks. And then feel free to plant daffodil bulbs. In 3-4 weeks they will take root, and frost will no longer be dangerous for them.

Planting before this date is fraught with unpleasant consequences - in soil that has not cooled down enough, the plant will sprout, which is very untimely and disastrous. Plant later - it will be difficult for the daffodil to overwinter due to the insufficient number of grown roots.

Disadvantages of planting daffodils in spring

You can, of course, plant flowers in open ground in the spring. You should wait until the soil warms up to a temperature of +5…+7 ℃. But you risk being left without flowers. The plant simply does not have time to bloom, since all its strength is devoted to taking root.

Planting times in different regions of Russia

It may turn out that you did not meet the schedule. It's already October-November outside. You can take a risk and still plant narcissus bulbs in the ground.But to do this, you must live in the southernmost Russian regions and take into account the maximum soil temperature at which planting is possible.

The plant will not be able to adapt and take root in the soil. And you risk being left without flowers in the spring.

In the Middle Zone

The optimal time for planting bulbs in gardens in the regions of Central Russia is the first days of September.

In the Moscow region and Leningrad region

If for Moscow region gardeners and gardeners the soil temperature will reach the required level in the period from August 15 to September 15, and during this period, after waiting for the desired temperature, you can start planting, then for the Leningrad region this time comes a little earlier - in the second ten days of August.

In the Urals, in Siberia

But in the Ural and Siberian regions it is better to start earlier. Depending on the weather, the required date may occur either at the end of summer or in September. Although such periods are typical for Siberia.

In the Urals, during warm autumn, daffodils are planted in dachas at the same time as in Central Russia. The weather forecast will tell you the optimal timing.

How to store daffodils before planting in the fall

In a faded plant, you need to carefully cut off the buds, wait for the yellow leaves and dig up the bulbs. If you use a garden fork for this purpose, be careful not to damage the material. In reality, this happens 50-60 days after flowering.

Clean the dug bulbs from old layers, roots and soil. It is recommended to treat them with an antiseptic (usually a manganese solution). Be sure to dry them at +22 ... +24 ° C (this will take up to three weeks). Only after all these manipulations do you send it for storage in a cool, ventilated room.

Storage conditions:

• +10 ˚С – air temperature;
• up to 70% – humidity.

An important condition: the narcissus bulbs selected for storage must be healthy. This is the only way to grow strong, healthy flowers.

How to plant daffodils correctly

An experienced gardener knows that in one place a daffodil will fully delight with its lush flowering for four years. Then its buds begin to shrink. This means that it’s time to change the place and transplant these wonderful flowers to another area. You shouldn't do this more often. Frequent digging is an additional risk of injury to the plant. This means unnecessary exposure to diseases and pests. And this process should not be delayed for a long time either. The plant is degenerating.

Planting daffodils requires adherence to a certain technology. This includes soil prepared in advance, holes dug of the required size, and proper fertilization of the flower.

But the first thing a gardener should do is inspect the planting material and select healthy bulbs.

Selecting a location

This is a very important factor, and choosing a suitable place for planting is half the battle. Daffodils love partial shade. This way they burn out less. They are suitable for flat areas without drafts. But gusty winds will not prolong their life.

These flowers will benefit from company, but too much greenery around is undesirable. The shadow has a detrimental effect on them - they are not able to grow normally, their aroma is not particularly rich, and they cannot boast of size.

There is one more circumstance that will have to be taken into account when choosing a place for flowers - the groundwater level. It should be no higher than 60 centimeters. Otherwise, you risk rotting the root system.

Land preparation

Daffodils do not require a special type of soil. They will grow at any time. But in order for them to develop fully, they require fertile humus loams.There are none; it is enough to fertilize the soil with compost or humus. If the soil on the site is sandy, it is worth adding a clay substrate to it, mixed in equal parts with peat. It is necessary to dig up the bed 3-4 weeks before planting. Digging depth is up to 40 centimeters.

It is important to know that daffodils do not tolerate manure. Get by without it.

Fertilizing the soil

Even in the summer, it is recommended to dig up the area for flowers and fertilize it with compost at the rate of 4 kilograms per 1 square meter. In addition, you should add 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and 1 tablespoon of Agricola. Now dig it up again and leave it like that until autumn.

At what depth to plant daffodils?

The depth of planting of these flowers depends on the size of the bulbs and the composition of the soil. It is equal to triple the height of the onion and varies between 10-25 centimeters.

Preparing bulbs for planting

One diseased bulb is enough to infect healthy specimens and soil and introduce pests into it. Therefore, a week before planting, they should be sorted out and all unhealthy specimens should be discarded - those that are damaged, rotten or infected.

A healthy bulb should have dry scales, golden or brown in color. To the touch, each should be dense, with a smooth, dry bottom, solid, without any stains, deposits or mold.

From the bulbs that you selected, you need to remove the cracked scales. They separate easily. You may only have to get rid of the top couple of layers.

Planting daffodils

You will have to adhere to a certain planting pattern:

• water the holes prepared in advance;
• pour sifted river sand onto the bottom;
• lay the bulbs bottom down, slightly pressing them into the ground;
• Sprinkle each one first with ash, then with earth.

Don't forget to cover the soil with a protective layer.This way you can protect it from the winter cold. Peat or humus is suitable for this. A thickness of 5 centimeters is sufficient. If you cover with leaves, the layer should be thick, at least twenty centimeters. You will remove them in the spring.

At what distance to plant bulbs?

Small-flowered varieties are planted every 6-10 centimeters, in groups or paths.

Large specimens - at a distance of 15-20 centimeters from one another, usually one flower at a time, but can also be in groups.

Caring for daffodils after planting

In order for your daffodils to grow well and bloom profusely, they should be provided with good proper care: feeding, watering, weeding and loosening.

1. Feeding. There should be 4 of them per season. The first three are nitrophoska for flowers - first in the spring, while they are sprouting, then - at the moment the buds appear and the third time - at the time of flowering. And after it, you need to feed the flower the last, fourth time, using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
2. Watering. These flowers require a lot of moisture. And you will have to water even a couple of weeks after they have bloomed. Be sure to do this during feeding so as not to burn the roots.
3. Fading buds must be removed.

Propagation of daffodils

You can propagate this flower yourself. It is enough to make small cuts at the bottom of the bulb and wait for new bulbs to appear in the cuts. After some time they will become good planting material.

In the last days of summer, divide the bulb - two scales should be strengthened on one bottom. Pack it in a bag with perlite and store it that way. In this form you plant it in the ground.

Many people love to grow daffodils. They are like a symbol of the coming spring. More than 12 thousand varieties to choose from.Some people prefer flowers on the windowsill, but there is nothing better than a blooming flower bed right under your window. Even an inexperienced amateur can do this job. Daffodils have long adapted to the Russian climate and overwinter freely in uncovered ground.

If you follow our recommendations, daffodils will delight you with magnificent blooms every spring.