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There is an ancient legend about the appearance of this flower. A young man named Narcissus possessed an unearthly beauty. The nymph, in love with him, told him about her feelings, but in response she heard an insult. The gods punished the arrogant handsome man for his arrogant and proud disposition. He fell in love with his own reflection in the stream and died of self-love. In that place, near the bank of the stream, the first daffodils appeared. And now everyone admires its beauty every spring.
Of all the flowers, the daffodil blooms first. Its bright colors are pleasing to the eye, and the subtle honey aroma intoxicates. The most common colors are white and yellow, but there are varieties in which other shades also vary - pale lilac, dark purple and even pink.
All gardeners know that the daffodil is the most unpretentious plant. And many do not transplant it for several years. But not every gardener knows that it is necessary to plant flowers every 4-5 years. Some transplant daffodils in the spring, breaking the rules. Indeed, according to the recommendations of the florist, they need to be planted exclusively in the autumn period. You will learn how to plant daffodils in the fall in this article. There is no difficulty in this process. It is only important to comply with the terms and rules of landing.
Dates and rules for planting daffodils
As already mentioned, transplanting daffodils is best in the fall. Planting dates are determined based on climatic conditions and regional affiliation. The further north the region is, the earlier you need to start gardening.
Determining when it's time to transplant daffodils is easy. Observe carefully the amount of green mass, the abundance and the flowering period. If you notice:
- Strongly overgrown plants and great crowding;
- Gradual reduction in the size of flowers and depletion of color;
- Short flowering period.
So, you need to urgently get to work.
When to start working in a flower garden
Mostly in the fall, daffodils are planted when the soil temperature drops to 8 доC - 10˚C. It is desirable that this temperature regime be observed for 2-3 weeks. There is no need to wait for a further decline. Otherwise, the bulbs simply will not have time to take root and fully prepare for winter.
The right time for planting daffodils is the second half of August to the third decade of September. When determining a more accurate date, it is necessary to take into account two more factors - the weather forecast and the region of growth. The further north is your personal plot, the earlier you need to start work. And, on the contrary, in the southern regions it is not worth rushing to plant daffodils in the ground in the fall. It is better to move the planting schedule 2-3 weeks ahead.
Before starting work, it is necessary to take into account that the bulbs need at least 3-4 weeks for full rooting. Daffodils should take root before the first frost. And one more nuance. Some work in the future flower garden must be done in advance, 3-4 weeks before planting daffodils in the fall: prepare the soil and fertilize the soil. Therefore, plan the time and the list of your actions correctly.
Choosing the right place
These flowers are the most unpretentious and picky not only in terms of care, but also in terms of exactingness to the composition of the soil. Almost any corner of your garden can be used to plant daffodils.Most ordinary, garden flowers are not particularly demanding on such an important component as illumination. They feel great both in an open sunny place and in partial shade. But varietal daffodils are more finicky in this regard - for abundant flowering and preservation of varietal traits, they need a lot of sunlight.
It is desirable that the place chosen for the future flower garden be protected from piercing winds - daffodils do not like drafts.
Preparing the soil for planting daffodils
Planting daffodils in the fall is not such a troublesome and time-consuming business. Soil preparation is an important stage. Indeed, not only the growth of plants, but also the quantity and quality of flowers depends on the composition of the soil. How to prepare the soil correctly? What does a narcissist love and dislike?
Daffodils are very moisture-loving, unlike other members of the bulbous family. Therefore, sandy loam soils are not suitable for them. It is best to plant daffodils in loamy soil with neutral acidity.
Fertile soils will be the key to abundant flowering. Sandy loam soil needs to be "diluted". This can be done in advance, about a month before planting daffodils, by adding humus. It will be useful to fertilize the soil with superphosphates or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
The site must be dug up in order to mix the soil mixture well. Straighten your future flower bed so that there are no pits and bumps.
When planting daffodils, it is useful to add a handful of wood ash to each hole, which will positively affect the rooting of the bulbs, their preparation for winter and abundant flowering in early spring.
How to plant daffodils correctly
It is advisable to prepare the bulbs before planting. Carefully inspect the planting material and remove any bulbs that are damaged or with signs of disease. Soft bulbs are also unsuitable for transplanting. It is advisable to process all the seed material to prevent the possibility of disease and rot. To do this, soak the daffodil bulbs in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) for 30-40 minutes. This time is quite enough to harden and disinfect all the material.
Now that the soil and bulbs are ready, you can repot the daffodils.
- Prepare the wells. Its depth depends on the size of the bulbs - from 10 to 25 cm. Keep in mind that the planting depth should be three times the height of the bulb. For example, if the height of the seed is 5 cm, then the depression should be at least 15 cm. The distance between small bulbs should be at least 8-10 cm, between large ones - 15-20 cm.Daffodils grow very quickly. It is undesirable to create conditions for them in which plants will lack nutrients and moisture due to high crowding.
- At the bottom of the hole, put a handful of wood ash, if you did not fertilize the soil with mineral fertilizers, and a handful of sand for additional drainage.
- Plant one bulb in each hole with the bottom down, slightly pressing them into the ground. It is very important that there is no free air between the bulb and the bottom of the fossa.
- Cover the holes with soil.
- Water your plantings with water.
- When the temperature drops, a flower bed with daffodils must be mulched with peat or dry leaves.
That's all. The bulbs are planted. In case of insufficient precipitation, as the soil dries out, the flower bed must be moistened.
Why is it convenient to transplant daffodils in the fall? During this period, you can lay the foundation for spring flower beds, composing and planning the design of your site in advance. With the arrival of spring, you will only have to enjoy the riot of bright colors.
Advice! Experienced growers advise planting daffodils at different depths, thereby providing a "cascade" and longer flowering.
How to properly plant and grow daffodils, see the following video:
How to properly store daffodil bulbs before planting
Garden daffodils can grow in one place for up to 4-5 years without transplanting. But there are varieties of spring flowers that require mandatory autumn planting annually or every two years. This is necessary to separate the babies from the adult bulb and to preserve varietal traits.
The debate about when is the best time to transplant daffodils, in spring or fall, continues to this day. But experienced growers are of the same opinion: it is necessary to dig up the bulbs only after flowering, store them in appropriate conditions before planting in the fall.
In the spring, replanting flowers is highly undesirable. First, it takes at least 20-25 days for full rooting. Secondly, for active flowering, the bulbs must go through the "cold" period, that is, survive the winter.
If you do decide to plant daffodils in early spring, be prepared for the fact that they will bloom only next year.
You can dig up the bulbs when the above-ground part of the plants is completely dry and lies on the ground. This period begins around the end of June - beginning of July. You need to remove the bulbs with a pitchfork so as not to damage the planting material.
Cut off the remaining leaves from the dug out bulbs, and send to dry. It is important that the drying area is dark and well ventilated. When the material dries well, that is, in at least 2-3 weeks, you need to clean it from the earth and the remnants of old husks. Those babies that weakly adhere to the mother's bulb can be separated, they are also suitable for subsequent planting.
Calibrate poor quality bulbs. Are subject to rejection:
- Sick;
- Too small planting material;
- Damaged.
Suitable for planting bulbs daffodils need to be washed with water, and then held in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes. You need to re-dry the bulbs in a well-ventilated place where the air temperature does not exceed 25˚С.
Daffodil bulbs should be kept in the shade until planting. This can be done both in a barn, under a canopy, and in an attic. It is important that the storage area is well ventilated. Daffodil bulbs contain poison. That is why small rodents bypass them. When stored for a long time, the bulbs release toxic substances into the air. Therefore, they need to be kept in a well-ventilated place until the autumn planting.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are no particular difficulties with planting daffodils. An inexperienced beginner can also perform all actions. But in the spring, when the flower beds are full of yellow, orange or white flowers with a pink center, you will experience true aesthetic pleasure looking at such divine beauty.
