Daffodil bulbs – Bulbs for sale, planting, etc.

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Daffodil bulbs must be fresh when purchased; old or dry bulbs can sprout, grow and even flower – but their plants become weak and a danger to other plants in the garden. The size of the daffodil bulb is also important when buying; the larger the bulb, the more flowers you get.

Precautions when buying daffodil bulbs

Keep the following in mind when buying daffodil bulbs:

  • The bulbs must not be dried out
  • The larger the bulbs, the better (daffodil bulbs produce flowers according to size; the larger the bulb, the more flowers. Small bulbs typically produce few or no flowers)
  • Discard the bulbs if they:
    • have signs of fungus, disease, etc.
    • have brown/black onion scales
    • are damaged or soft

Damaged bulbs are generally more susceptible to disease and insect attack than intact bulbs and should therefore not be planted. If you choose to plant damaged daffodil bulbs, you are more likely to get diseased daffodils that infect other daffodils and other flowers.

Planting the daffodil bulbs

Daffodil bulbs should be planted in the fall and should be planted at least 2 weeks before the ground freezes. This allows the bulbs to establish a smaller root system before winter arrives.

Soil conditions

Daffodil bulbs should be planted in soil that is:

  • Well-drained
  • Rich in organic matter (such as compost)
  • Neutral (it doesn't matter if the soil is slightly chalky or slightly calcareous – i.e. you can move slightly in either direction of the pH scale without the soil becoming decidedly acidic or alkaline)

Planting

  • The daffodil bulb should be planted at least 2 times its own height (for example, if the bulb is 5 cm high, it should be planted at least 10 cm into the soil). In general, onions should be placed 10-20 cm deep
  • Space the bulbs 12-18 cm apart from each other
  • If the soil is sandy, the daffodil bulbs should be placed deeper than if the soil is clay
  • If you've had trouble getting daffodils to grow or flower in the past, spraying a little fertilizer into the planting holes of the bulbs can sometimes help
  • Plant daffodil bulbs as soon as possible after purchase (in other words, wait to buy the bulbs until you intend to plant them – which, as you know, should be in the fall)
If you want to dig up your daffodil bulbs, this should be done at the beginning of summer (late May to early July). The bulbs should then be left to dry (completely moisture-free) in, for example, a sack or net in a drying loft or similar. Put the onions back in the ground in the fall.