Can I Plant a Daffodil Bulb After the Flower Has Bloomed & Died?

Waiting to Plant

• Once your daffodil blooms begin to wither, leave the foliage on the plant and place the pot in a sunny spot until the leaves completely die away. Although the flower is the main show for daffodils, the leaves provide food for the bulb. If you cut away the foliage, the bulb can't build food stores for its period of dormancy over the fall and winter. This results in a weakened bulb that may not bloom again the following year.

Planting Time

• The best time to plant daffodils is in the fall. In late September or early October your soil will still be workable and not too soggy from fall storms. Loosen your bulbs from the container they are in to see how many you have. For a pleasing display, plant three bulbs per hole with about five inches between holes. Plant the bulbs 6 inches deep to protect them from freezing temperatures.

Daffodil Care

• After planting your bulbs in the fall, sprinkle a bulb-specific fertilizer over the area according to the package directions. Once foliage starts to emerge in late winter, feed your daffodils again. Daffodils typically require little care and aren't troubled by many pests, except snails may eat a leaf or two. After the flowers fade, trim them off and leave the foliage for the bulb to produce energy for next year's bloom.

Daffodil Tips

• Gardeners in hot climates should wait until late fall to plant their daffodils. This gives the soil time to cool after a hot summer. All gardeners should throw out bulbs that feel soft because these are beginning to rot or have a higher likelihood of rotting once planted. If your daffodils start to look crowded, dig them up in the fall and divide the clumps of bulbs.