Daffodil Daily

Hopefully, one of the good things to come out of our current situation will be a greater reverence for our food, and a greater understanding of where it comes from. After the initial surges subsided, it was possible once again to buy pasta, UHT milk and even toilet roll. But since then there have been other shortages. Yeast, as everyone tries their hand at making bread at home. Icing sugar*, caster sugar, brown sugar as people brush up on their baking skills generally. And, of course, flour. We are told that this is all due to a rise in demand. That there is plenty of flour, but millers just can’t put any more of it in small bags. Either because they don’t have the capacity, or because they don’t have enough bags.

Gregory Moore, The University of Melbourne

Daffodils (Narcissus) are spring bulbs that brighten our gardens and herald the arrival of longer, brighter days ahead. There are many different varieties, some flowering as early as January and others as late as early May.

Daffodils are classified into 13 divisions and currently one of the most popular is Division 8 Tazetta Narcissi. These are a group of low growing daffodils that are at home in rockeries or containers.

This year I didn’t take my own advice and have pots of Daffs that are stunted and unlikely to excel. Take the plunge and bury your bulb pots to encourage strong root growth. Next year is the key- at least gardeners usually get another chance to fail!

This picture was taken in late March at the University Botanic Gardens Oxford. I’m not sure of the variety, but, they remind me of tete a tete.

Now is a good time to think of planting some more daffodils for cutting or naturalising.

Although commonly known as daffodils, the term Narcissus is the correct genus name for these spring blooming bulbs.Narcissus species and hybrids come in a myriad of sizes, colors, and forms, and some are extremely fragrant. While mostly native to the Mediterranean, a few daffodil species originated from China and Asia. These beautiful flowers are symbols of rebirth and new beginnings, and for that reason, they are the March birth flower. A daffodil bouquet given for a tenth wedding anniversary gift is believed to ensure happiness.

Daffodils are one of the most reliable spring bulbs for the Southeast. Not all cultivars, though, survive the summer and come back year after year. The following cultivars have a proven track record in the Coastal Plain region, meaning they have bloomed reliably and lasted in my yard for five to 20 years.

When flowering plants don’t bloom well it’s usually an issue of either not enough light; too much Nitrogen (which makes green, not flowers) or not enough of the nutrients they need because of competition with other plants; or overcrowding. But I wanted to look it up and get more info, because I had always thought my daffodil drifts were “forever.” And forever just came to an end, apparently. ALL OF THOSE REASONS, AND MOREThe American Daffodil Society website confirms that any/all of the above can be the culprit, as can a soggy location; cutting off the foliage too early before the bulb ripens; an early heatwave the previous spring that similarly prevented ripening; and a few more remote possibilities like viruses.So I’ve been outdoors this morning examining my many drifts of non-blooming narcissus, versus the clumps that are performing well, to figure out who needs what from me. All the while I was hoping against hope the answer i

TOO THIRSTY, HUNGRY FOR NUTRIENTS, not allowed to “ripen” last year long enough, overcrowded–these are just a few of the reasons that Narcissus (and other bulbs) may be putting on a less-than-spectacular performance this spring, like the clump above with lots of leaves but only a single bloom.

It’s a staggering number. That would be a lot of holes to dig, or drill, as the Garden begins to enhance and expand its historic Daffodil Hill display first planted in 1920.What didn’t surprise me was the involvement of Brent Heath, a longtime bulb merchant and daffodil hybridizer himself, who’s acting as an adviser in the ambitious undertaking. Brent, whose grandfather began the family bulb business in 1900, joined me on my public-radio show and podcast from his B