Crystal Kim’s Daffodil Planting Tips
Every spring, over 250,000 daffodil’s bloom across Red Butte Garden, blanketing the hillside in their sunny hues. Crystal Kim, garden horticulturist, shares her tips for these drought-tolerant, virtually pest-free mark of springtime.
• Select bulbs that are firm and free of white mold (some blue-gray mold
is okay and does not affect growth). Discard any soft, moldy bulbs.
• Plant bulbs in the fall when the soil temperature has cooled below 54°F
but hasn’t frozen yet. Along the Wasatch Front, bulbs can be planted
through October and even into November, depending on weather.
• Locate daffodils in any deep, well drained soil in full sun. Planting
beneath deciduous trees is okay if the trees leaf out after the bulbs have finished
for spring and if tree roots don’t interfere with planting.
• Plant daffodil bulbs at a depth two to three times the diameter of the bulb,
which is usually about 6-8 inches deep. Space bulbs about three times
the width of the bulb apart so that they have plenty of room to get established
and multiply.
• Position the bulbs pointed side up. Thetop of the bulb, from which the shoot
emerges, is more narrow and pointed than the base. The base is rounded,
with some of the previous year’s dried, hair-like roots attached to its somewhat
flattened bottom.
• Fertilize only if you have very poor soil. If you do use fertilizer, mix it into the
soil at the bottom of the hole before planting the bulbs.
• If planting during a dry autumn, make sure to irrigate your bulbs well, since
roots start growing in fall. The cool weather of the fall season is great for
growing roots.
Visit redbuttegarden.org for more on spring bulbs and events calendar.
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