How to grow daffodils

Daffodils (Narcissus) brighten our gardens in spring. There are many different varieties, some flowering as early as January and others as late as early May.

Daffodils range in height from about 5cm up to 45cm and, come in a variety of colours and forms apart from the usual yellow trumpets.

How to grow daffodils

Plant daffodil bulbs in autumn in moist but well-drained soil in full sun. They work well with a variety of other spring flowers, including wallflowers and primulas, and are perfect for a spring pot display. Deadhead after flowering and let the foliage die down naturally, for the best display the following spring.

More on growing daffodils:

• How to plant daffodils in borders
• Top 10 daffodils for your garden
• How to cross-pollinate daffodils

Where to plant daffodils

Daffodils do best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Plant them in a moist but free-draining soil. Daffodils can be grown in containers, in borders or naturalised in lawns.

How to plant daffodils

Plant daffodil bulbs in autumn. Always choose large and firm bulbs, avoiding any soft or visibly rotting ones. Dig over compacted soils and improve with organic matter such as home-made compost or well-rotted manure.
Most narcissus need to be planted about 10cm deep, about twice the depth of the bulb itself (follow instructions given for individual varieties).

If growing daffodils in a container use a peat-free John Innes no 2 or 3 mix, and position the container in a sunny spot. Water containers so the soil remains moist but not wet. It’s possible to leave bulbs in a pot for many years, but remove and replace the compost above the bulbs each year.

When growing daffodils in grass, the easiest way to create a natural look is to throw a handful of bulbs onto the lawn, and plant them where they land. Use a bulb planter to pull out plugs of soil and then pop the bulbs in the holes, pointy end up. Cover with the soil and turf you’ve just removed.

 Bulbs can be planted into open soil using a hand trowel or bulb planter. Space bulbs two bulb-widths apart. 

How to look after daffodils

Apply a slow-release bulb fertilizer to poor soils and pots each spring. Deadhead plants after flowering and leave the foliage to die down naturally, so the nutrients in the leaves are returned to the bulb (this improves flowering potential the following year). If growing narcissus in a grassy area then you might not be able to cut the grass until June.

How to propagate daffodils

Established daffodil clumps can be divided in autumn. Lift clumps carefully with a garden fork and peel the bulbs apart. Replant straight away. If you have time and patience, you can grow daffodils from seed. Rather than deadheading after flowering, leave a few seedheads to develop and then sow the seeds when ripe. Bear in mind that it will take a few years before the daffodils flower.

Growing daffodils: problem solving

Daffodils can suffer from ‘blindness’. This is where they produce a healthy crop of foliage but fail to flower. There are several reasons why this may happen, including poor soil, overcrowding and shade. You can usually rectify the problem but it can take a couple of years for the bulbs to flower again. Simply dig them up in autumn and replant. If growing in shade, plant them in a sunny spot. If the bulbs are overcrowded then divide them and plant them in smaller groups. If the soil is poor then enrich with well-rotted horse manure or home-made compost. Water the bulbs in well and top-dress with organic matter. You should see flowers again within a couple of years.

Daffodil varieties to grow

• Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ – a miniature with bright yellow trumpet flowers in April. Height of 15cm
• Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’ – a stunning multi-petalled flower that appears in April. Height 14cm
• Narcissus ‘February Gold’ – popular thanks to its early bright-yellow flowers in February. Swept back outer petals. Height of 30cm
• Narcissus ‘Fragrant Rose’ – a soft pink flower with scent in April. Reaches a height of 45cm
• Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Golden Bells’ – March to April flowers that have just a trumpet and no outer petals. Reaches a height of 20cm