Daffodils and spring. The two are almost synonymous. These bright, colorful flowers almost sing out that winter is gone and the garden will grow again. I personally breathe a sigh of relief when I see the flowers, knowing planting time is just around the corner.
William Wordsworth provided this vivid description: "A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."
Because so many poets have paid homage to daffodils, they are known as the "poet's flower."
The daffodil's scientific name, Narcissus, comes from the mythological Grecian youth who was so captivated by his own beauty that he turned into a narcissus flower. The names "daffodil" and "narcissus" refer to all of the beautiful members of the genus Narcissus.
Our fall weather offers the perfect chance to get these lovely flowers' bulbs in the ground. If you want to create more than just an ordinary show of spring bulbs in your garden, the coming weekend offers a perfect chance to learn more.
Brent Heath, a third-generation bulb grower and co-owner, with his wife, Becky, of Brent and Becky's Bulbs, a mail-order bulb supplier in Virginia, will be giving several lectures and classes to bulb fanciers and to those who want to have some fancy bulbs.
The Heaths have a 10-acre display garden and trial farm in Gloucester, where they grow more than 3,000 cultivars and species of all types of bulbs. They are hybridizers of daffodils and specialty bulbs. They are busy as flower bulb suppliers, garden writers, photographers, lecturers, consultants and educators. They are the co-authors of "Daffodils for American Gardens," an award-winning 140-page horticultural reference.
Through the slide lectures he will present next week at Red Butte Garden, Brent Heath will share his love of gardening and offer many new ideas that will help you have more colorful and successful gardens. His goal is to share his experience in growing bulbs so you might grow them better.
The Heaths consider daffodils "the most cost-effective, pest-free perennials available," and "wonderful companions to other bulbs, perennials, annuals and flowering shrubs. They grow in almost all areas of the United States as long as there is a discernible winter. They are pest-free and when given ample sunlight, water and proper nutrition, will provide early spring color for many years."
Most gardeners don't think of daffodils as perennials, but according to Heath, they can be very long-lived.
"One of the most common mistakes is that they are grown in too much shade," he said. "The bulbs grow and multiply, but they use all the nutrients and do not bloom any longer. We no longer dig and divide our bulbs at our farm because we have good, organic soil and fertilize them regularly."
Daffodils must have sunlight to continue to develop and flower year after year, he said. Since much of their growth is completed before trees fully leaf out, they may be grown beneath trees. Plant them where they get at least a half day of sunlight. Avoid deep shade on the north side of buildings.
Although "daffodil" and "narcissus" are sometimes used to refer to large and small-flowered forms respectively, botanically, they are all classified in the same genus. The genus Narcissus is divided into 13 divisions according to their flower shape and heritage. There are more than 70 species and 25,000 cultivars.
In addition, daffodils are classified as to when they bloom — early, mid-season or late-season. Because a daffodil bloom lasts two to three weeks, the diligent gardener can extend the blooming season by judicious selection of varieties from each grouping.
Daffodils are popular for many different reasons. They are easy to cultivate and they flower early and consistently. Another plus is that because of their poisonous alkaloids, deer, rodents or other wildlife seldom bother them.
Even though they are not troubled by wildlife, they have a wild side of their own. Hyacinths and tulips might be fine for rows or geometric beds, but daffodils look and grow the best with irregular planting and random spacing. Give them room because overcrowding reduces the bulbs' ability to produce more bulbs and flowers each year.
The ability that the daffodils have to colonize and spread into other growing areas is called "naturalizing." Take advantage of that ability and use them in strategic spots in your garden. Plant them in rock gardens, in meadows, in pots. Plant them in the shrub border, perennial beds and among ground covers. There is almost no place where you can't enjoy these flowers.
Plant them in groups of three to a dozen bulbs of one variety for the best effect. Plant them in front of evergreens for background and wind protection.
Microclimates affect their growth, and those planted on the south of the house or on a southern slope generally flower earlier than similar varieties in cooler locations.
Like most bulbs, daffodils do best in well-drained garden soils that do not hold too much water. Most bulbs tend to rot in wet areas. Select a well-drained area or add coarse organic material to improve the drainage. If those methods are not practical, use raised beds to improve the drainage.
According to Brent Heath, daffodils need to be dry during their dormant (summer) period. If you have a mindless irrigation system that floods the plants, it stresses the bulbs and causes them to rot, he said. This destroys the bulbs, and they never naturalize in an area.
Many gardeners do not plant their bulbs deep enough. This is particularly important for bulbs that you are trying to naturalize. Plant the bulbs according to the size of the bulb. The rule of thumb is to plant larger bulbs with the neck 4-5 inches below the soil surface and smaller bulbs with the neck 2-3 inches below the surface. If you are unsure, it is better to plant the bulb deeper rather than too shallowly.
Purchase large (4 to 5 inches in circumference), high-quality bulbs, which will produce the largest and longest-lived blossoms. Don't get carried away trying to mix bargain hunting with buying daffodils because the two aren't compatible. Poor quality bulbs give poor quality flowers. Inspect the bottom of the bulb for any sign of fungus and discard or reject these.
Another tip from Heath for growing daffodils: "Use lots of natural organic compost. Bone meal is not a good fertilizer for bulbs. It has only phosphorous, and it is in a form that is not very available to the plants. It also attracts rodents and dogs that start digging for bones and destroy the bulbs."
He prefers a complete slow-release fertilizer in the fall. If you don't get that done, use a water-soluble type in the spring. If you wait to fertilize after they bloom, they are starting to die back and won't get much benefit. Mix the fertilizer thoroughly with the soil and never place it directly in the bottom of the hole when you plant the bulbs. Concentrated fertilizer kills newly emerging roots and promotes bulb rot.
Include these wonderful harbingers of spring as part of your fall planting so that their golden yellow and other colors will chase away those dreary winter days. Their cheery blooms are sure to brighten your life.
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