"How to Grow Daffodils     in the South"

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Special Varieties Thrive in Warmer Climates

For many southern USA gardeners, daffodils have been a disappointment. They often bloom gloriously the first year and are then never seen again. This does not have to be the case. For guaranteed success with daffodils, gardeners in the south just need to follow some slightly different planting guidelines, and select varieties that have proven to be suitable for warm climates.

Select The Best Possible Location

For best results, bulbs should be planted in loose, well-drained soil. Since soils in the South tend to be heavy and poorly drained, the standard recommendation to plant daffodils 5 or 6 inches deep does not apply. Instead, the planting depth should be no more than 2 to 3 inches deep (a little deeper than the bulb is wide). If your soil is not well-drained, you might consider planting your bulbs in a raised bed. After blooming, daffodils should be watered sparingly, so they dry off naturally. If daffodils are planted too deep, or in poorly drained soil, they will be very susceptible to a disease called basal rot.

Daffodil blooms will last longer and their color will be most vivid when they are protected from bright sun. Shade, especially in the afternoon, is beneficial. Consider planting summer-blooming perennials in the same area to hide the maturing daffodil foliage and help dry out the bulbs. Some of the most dependable bulb companions include hardy geraniums (Geranium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis).

Adding generous amounts of organic matter to the soil is also recommended. Use compost or whatever organic material is available locally. The warmer temperatures and longer growing season of the southern climate speeds up the decay of organic matter, making it necessary to add this material as often as possible during the gardening season.

Heirloom Varieties for the South

There are a number of daffodil varieties that have stood the test of time in southern gardens. Several of these heirloom classics that perform well in Zones 7, 8 and 9 can be obtained from Dutch Gardens. None of them require the artificial pre-chilling treatment necessary to grow varieties that are best suited for northern gardens. In recent years, several of these older varieties have been improved by Dutch breeders. They are now even stronger, easier-to-grow plants with more abundant blooms

Cheerfulness is a longtime favorite with an intense, gardenia-like fragrance. The 1-inch-diameter blooms are borne in clusters of two or three. Each flower has a center of creamy-white, overlapping petals, framed by outer petals of pure white. As part of a spring flower arrangement, Cheerfulness will fill the house with a delightful perfume.

A cousin of Cheerfulness is Yellow Cheerfulness. This soft, primrose-yellow variety has all the great qualities of its relative, in a sunnier yellow hue.

Canaliculatus sports clusters of dainty, sweetly scented blooms. This charming miniature only grows 4 to 6" high, making it an ideal choice for naturalizing or for forcing.

There is a good source of top quality Daffodil bulbs here for you. Please click on best quality Daffodil bulbs.

Related Articles

See also the following pages:
Daffodil
Narcissus
Planting Daffodil
Daffodils Basics
Forcing Bulbs

This article was kindly supplied by Dutch Gardens. Their website has a very large selection of top quality plants and bulbs. It is worth visiting just to look at the superb photos alone. Just click on the banner immediately above.

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