Smart blend of daffodil bulbs keeps color coming all spring
It’s hard not to love daffodils, which are somehow both exquisite and exuberant.
Affordable and deer-resistant, they return reliably year after year.
They also possess another valuable, if less-heralded, trait: With the right mix of bulbs, a central Ohio gardener can enjoy the flowers of daffodils, also known as narcissus, for almost three months.
“I love to extend the season on both ends to appreciate the flowers longer,” said Jo-Anne van den Berg-Ohms, head of John Scheepers and Van Engelen, two companies that sell a variety of flower bulbs.
From crocus time in March to peony season in May, daffodils display endless combinations of white and yellow. This is the time of year to plant them for a cheerful display in the spring.
Perhaps the first daffodil to bloom is Rijnveld’s Early Sensation, which certainly lives up to its name. It can start in March, and its golden flowers do indeed look sensational in snow, sleet or slush.
Van den Berg-Ohms also recommends February Gold, which doesn’t start quite as early as February, but it definitely helps lead the pack.
Actually, pack might be an understatement. Gardeners can choose from thousands of varieties — from elegant studies in simplicity to doubles that resemble carnations; from heirloom varieties that have been grown for more than a century to new hybrids; and from giants that reach 1½ feet to miniatures that top out at a couple of inches.
April — peak daffodil time in central Ohio — is the bloom time for one of van den Berg-Ohms’ favorite varieties: Sentinel, a stunner with a large cup that is pink (well, maybe soft apricot).
“In my garden, in a bit of filtered sunlight, it is incredibly long-blooming,” she said.
To have daffodils blooming in May, she suggests members of the “poet’s narcissus” group, such as Actaea or Pheasant’s Eye. They have rounded white petals and small centers with intense golds, greens and even reds.
Another May bloomer is Jonquilla Simplex, which boasts tiny yellow flowers and a delightful fragrance.
To plant daffodil bulbs, you need only follow a few basic steps to be rewarded with more flowers and healthier bulbs.
“Planting a narcissus bulb is probably one of the easiest and most foolproof things that a gardener could do,” van den Berg-Ohms said.
She recommends choosing a well-drained spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily.
In addition, she suggests lightly spreading fertilizer on the soil surface after planting, because “It’s not good to put fertilizer or bone meal in the planting hole.” (Direct contact with fertilizer might harm bulbs.)
After flowers fade, “Don’t cut, mow or braid the foliage,” she urged.
Leaves must be allowed to die naturally, she explained, to maximize photosynthesis and allow bulbs to recharge.
And fat and happy bulbs mean one thing: more season-spanning flowers next year.
Diana Lockwood is a freelance writer covering garden topics.
