How to Transplant Narcissus

Narcissus is the genus name for daffodils, a large group of flowering plants grown for their cheery early spring display of blooms. All species of Narcissus grow from bulbs, which are typically planted outdoors in autumn and lifted from the ground the following summer after their blooming period. Although it is a simple process, transplanting Narcissus bulbs is successful only if the bulbs are kept cool and dry during their summertime storage period since exposing the bulbs to heat and moisture causes them to rot.

Pitch fork
Mesh or cloth bag

Instructions

- 1
  Let the foliage of the Narcissus plants dry out and die back completely before lifting the bulbs for transplant. Wait until the leaves are solid yellow, with no green remaining at the base.
- 2
  Plunge the tines of a pitch fork into the soil about four inches from the withered Narcissus plants. Stick the tines at least 10 inches deep into the soil beside the Narcissus plants.
- 3
  Pry the bulbs up very gently to keep from crushing them against the soil. Set the soil and bulbs aside.
- 4
  Manually remove the soil from around the Narcissus bulbs until they are clean. Pull off and discard the withered foliage attached to the tops.
- 5
  Set the Narcissus bulbs on a table or bench in the shade to dry out for a few hours. Do not place them in deep, dank shade or harsh, direct sunlight since both can have an adverse effect on the bulbs.
- 6
  Store the bulbs in a mesh or cloth bag for the summer. Place the bag in a cupboard or closet away from light, moisture and high humidity.
- 7
  Transplant the bulbs in autumn around September or early October. Plant the bulbs to a depth equal to twice their diameter. Space the bulbs three inches apart for smaller species and seven inches apart for larger ones.

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