Daffodils – Tips for Planting and Care

Photo source:  sgbrown aka Rockcreek Photography

Daffodils are one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Many times, I have seen daffodils blooming when covered in snow, yet are a definite sign of spring. Here are a few tips for growing and caring for daffodils.

The botanical name for the daffodil is narcissus. They are many beautiful varieties of daffodils and all of them are hardy, easy to grow perennials. Daffodils are deer, rabbit and rodent resistant. Most animals do not like the taste of bulbs in the narcissus family. 

By Dvortygirl, via Wikimedia Commons 

 When you purchase your daffodils bulbs, be sure to choose bulbs that are not squishy or dried out when lightly squeeze them. They should feel firm and the larger the bulb, the better. 

 

Daffodils prefer well drained soil so the bulbs do not stay wet enough to rot underground.  You should plant your bulbs in fall and choose a sunny location. Some varieties will grow in partial shade, but usually do better in full sun. Plant the bulbs approximately 1-2 inches beneath the ground. In climates with severe winters, you may want to plant them as far down as 5 inches. You can even add a little bulb fertilizer in the hole as you are planting them. 

 

 Your daffodils will grow best when spaced 3 to 5 inches apart but will tolerate some crowding. If they become too crowded, their blooming will be hindered and you may want to dig them up and separate them a bit. Planting lots of bulbs in one area makes for a beautiful show of these cheerful flowers. 

 

Photo source:  sgbrown aka Rockcreek Photography

After you daffodils have bloomed, add a low nitrogen high potash fertilizer, especially if your flowers are not blooming as you expected. Once you daffodils have stopped blooming and die back, you may want to add some bone meal to the soil to next years flowers. 

You want to dead head your daffodils for appearance, but don’t cut the leaves. You need to let those turn brown before you removed them as they help the plant store energy for next years blooms. Once the leaves have turned brown, you can removed them by gently pulling and twisting them. If they don’t come off easily, leave them a little longer. 

The Milkweed Plant – An Important Part of our Eco-System

Photo source: wikimedia commons

A few days ago I wrote an article, The Monarch Butterfly - In Danger of Disappearing, about how the population of the beautiful monarch butterfly is declining. One of the main reasons for this decline is the loss of the milkweed plant. 

The milkweed plant is the only plant on which the monarch butterfly will deposit her eggs. The reason for this is that the milkweed plant is somewhat toxic. Once the monarch caterpillars emerge, they eat the leaves of this plant which in turn makes them toxic as well. The bright colors of the monarch are a warning to the birds that “you don’t really want to eat me!” It may not kill the bird, but it will make them think twice about ever eating another one. 

With the planting of so many genetically modified crops, the farmers are using more and stronger herbicides which is not only killing the unwanted “weeds” in their crops, but it also killing everything around the crops including the milkweed plants. 

Milkweed gets its name from the milky like sap that come from cutting the plant. (Be sure not to get it in your eyes!) There are many varieties of the milkweed plant and it goes by many different common names, such as the “pink butterfly plant”, be sure you chose a plant from the family of Asclepias to get a true milkweed. Varieties of this plant grow wild on most of the US in zones 3-9. The common milkweed, (Asclepias syriaca), is native to the eastern and central US. It will grow to approximately 48” high and blooms late June through July.

 Photo source: wikimedia commons - Jason Hollinger

Common milkweed is a perennial that is drought, deer and rabbit resistant. It grows well in poor soil as long as it has good drainage and plenty of sunlight. It is recommended that you plant seeds in the fall, however, the plants may not flower the first year. If you want flowering milkweed the first year, you might want to purchase a few already started pots from your local nursery. 

Once your milkweed plants bloom, you can remove the seed pods and keep the seeds for more plants the next year. The plant will spread on its own as it grows from rhizomes underground. The seed pods will also open and release seeds into the wind similar to a dandelion, but this may cause your plants to grow in areas where you don’t want them. 

The milkweed plant will not only bring the monarch butterfly to your flower garden but it is a source of nectar for hummingbirds and many other species of butterflies as well. Let’s all plant some milkweed this year and help the population of the monarch butterfly flourish once again!

You may also enjoy reading:

Interesting Fact on the Monarch Butterfly 

Help Save the Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch Butterfly - In Danger of Disappearing?