How to grow and care for daffodils

Daffodils, also called trumpet narcissus, belong to the Amaryllidaceae family, genus Narcissus. Because daffodils are temperate bulbous flowers, they prefer a cool climate and dislike high temperatures and excessive moisture; the optimum growing temperature is 10-15°C. In southern China it is difficult to produce flowering bulbs, so bulbs are imported from abroad every year, grown for a short period to flower, and can be discarded after enjoying the blooms, then bulbs are purchased again the next year for cultivation.

When buying bulbs, check whether they have been cold-treated. If they have not, after bringing them home, place them in a refrigerator at 8—10°C for 40—50 days to break their dormancy; cultivating them afterward can effectively promote flowering. Many flower enthusiasts feel helpless when choosing bulbs, not knowing whether they are truly imported bulbs.

For cold-treated daffodil bulbs, plant them 50 days before the Spring Festival. The best growing soil is a slightly acidic, fertile sandy loam rich in organic matter, with organic fertilizer pre-buried in the soil, or using peat soil that has been composted with organic fertilizer and mixed with a small amount of river sand for good results.

Usually, depending on the size of the planting pot, plant in clusters with 3—5 bulbs per pot, and the bulbs must be completely covered with soil. After planting, move them to a semi-shaded spot with about 50% sunlight, keeping the soil constantly moist. Once the leaf buds emerge above the soil surface, move the pot to an environment with about 70—80% sunlight for cultivation.

During the growing period, water once every two weeks with a dilute solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer can also be applied. The optimum growing temperature is 15—20°C. Different light intensity, humidity and temperature can be used to regulate the flowering period so that it blooms exactly at the Spring Festival.

Daffodils are commonly propagated by bulb division, and the natural propagation rate can reach 4-5 times. This is generally done in autumn. When propagating, twist off the small bulblets growing on both sides of the mother bulb to use as seed bulbs and plant them separately. To speed up propagation, the mother bulb should be planted shallowly rather than deeply. If planted too deeply, fewer daughter bulbs are produced.

In addition, use a knife to make 3-4 vertical cuts from the basal plate toward the top of a plump bulb, to a depth of about half the bulb. After cutting, place the bulb in clean dry sand to form callus tissue, then put it into a propagation box at 21°C for culture. When the temperature rises to 30°C with a relative humidity of 85%, most daughter bulbs will be produced in about 3 months, and the daughter bulbs can be removed and planted separately. The daughter bulbs need 3-4 years of planting before they become flowering bulbs.

Seed propagation of daffodils is carried out in mid-September. The sowing soil is a mixture of leaf mold, peat soil and coarse sand, sterilized before sowing. After sowing, manage carefully; the following spring they sprout and form small plants, and in early summer the leaves and roots wither, forming small bulbs. Seed-grown small bulbs must be cultivated for 4-5 years before they can flower.