Growing Daffodils and Jonquils for long flowering seasons

TheGardenTimes.com

Spring is the perfect time to start thinking of which types of daffodils you can add to your garden, where and when do you need some late winter and spring colour. Make a note in your gardening journal and this autumn you will be all organised!

General planting and care

Probably the easiest and most joyful bulbs to plant in eastern Australian gardens, the bulbs from the narcissi family include daffodils and jonquils, need very little active care.

Plant in dry sunny or light semi-shaded location with at least 6 hours of sun in autumn/winter (so under deciduous trees is fine)
Avoid planting in wet boggy clay ( mine do ok in awful but dry clay)
No need to water regularly as they survive on rainfall (during the drought we still had many flowers)
Nip off spent flower heads so all the energy goes to the bulb not to making seeds.
Do not mow or tie the strappy green foliage after flowering as this will inhibit bulb growth (and next years flowers), so make this a consideration when planting you will have scrappy yellowing leaves through spring/summer.

You can also consider planting up balcony and patio pots as daffodils are very tolerant of staying in pot for years. I try and extend my season of flowers by chasing the sun with some small pots filled to bursting with Narcissus bulbs to have very early flower pots clustered near the front door.

In late July the sweet scent of jonquils will start the season off with delicate sprays of flowers lasting well into August. The season will begin mid to late July in the areas with no snow and temperatures between 5 – 12 degrees or there about. This is a very small selection of flowers lasting mid July through to October, usually the season ending with my favourite Sir Winston Churchill.

Early flowering

Erlicheer

Miniature Daffodil Tete a Tete

Miniature Daffodil Jetfire

Daffodil Golden Lion