Faded daffodils – the right care after flowering

If daffodils have faded, the biological process inside your bulbs continues to run at full speed. So please do not ignore your lavish signs of spring at the end of the flowering period. Since the preparations for next year’s blooms are already being made, the care program will continue for some time, although the flowers have all wilted. This guide explains how to properly care for daffodils after flowering. This is how it works in beds and pots.

Cut faded daffodils in two stages

Thanks to their bright colors and huge flowers, no daffodil is left unpollinated. When bees, bumblebees and butterflies have done their job, the flower uses all of its energy to grow the three-chamber capsule fruits with the seeds. This process takes 6 to 8 weeks and runs at the expense of the energy reserves inside the flower bulb and reduces the growth of daughter bulbs. If you do not want to self-sow your daffodils, please cut off any withered flowers as soon as possible.

After flowering, the green leaves still have an important task to perform, which should not be prevented by premature pruning. A daffodil gradually shifts the nutrients in the foliage to the bulb in order to create a depot for next year’s flowering. This process can be recognized by the gradual yellowing of the leaves. Only when they are completely brown and dead does the second stage of pruning follow. To do this, grasp the foliage with one hand and cut it off close to the ground. Let daffodils run wild in the lawn, please only mow when the leaves have completely withered.

Tip: Daffodils are poisonous in all parts. The highest concentration of toxic alkaloids is found in onions. Therefore, wear protective gloves and long-sleeved clothing during all maintenance work. To avoid mix-ups, do not keep the flower bulbs in close proximity to table onions.

Continue care after flowering

The gradual pruning of wilted daffodils is complemented by accompanying care. The water and nutrient balance must not be interrupted after flowering as long as the bulbs continue to grow. The following operations continue until all of the sheets are fed and cut:

  • When daffodils have faded, fertilize with ripe compost and horn shavings
  • Add liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water in the pot and flower box every 2 weeks
  • Gently rake in organic fertilizer and shower over with water
  • Continue to water moderately when the substrate is dry

After the leaves have been cut back, the summer dormancy begins. You can either leave the dormant daffodils in the bed or dig up the bulbs. In the cool, dark cellar, the tubers can spend the summer dry. To do this, beat the cleaned flower bulbs in newspaper or put them in a box with dry sand. Please check the flower bulbs weekly during the summer to remove rotten specimens. In autumn, put the summer daffodil bulbs back into the bed, as the winter cold stimulus is important for the flower induction in the following spring.

Tip: The abundance of flowers and vitality of daffodils is preserved if you ingest and divide the bulbs every 5 years. The best time to do this is 6 to 8 weeks after the flowering period ends. You can choose to store the daughter bulbs in a cool, dry place until autumn or put them in fresh potting soil immediately after dividing them.

Plant onions of potted daffodils in the bed

Daffodils are often used to spread an expectant spring mood in the pot and in the bowl in the house. If the brightly colored flowers have wilted, please do not throw away the bulbs. Instead, do the same as you would with your fellows in the garden. Clean up wilted flowers regularly and do not cut the leaves off until they have died. During this time, water and fertilize the daffodils unabated. After the leaves have been cut back, place the now dormant bulbs in the sunny spot in the bed or store them in a dry and cool place until the beginning of the planting time in autumn.

Conclusion
In the professional cultivation of daffodils, the motto applies: after flowering is before flowering. At the end of their flowering period, the growth process within the flower bulbs of daffodils picks up speed again, as the buds for the coming spring are now being created. In order for this process to run smoothly, the heralds of spring are cut in two stages. Regular cleaning of dead flowers prevents wasted energy on the growth of capsule fruits and seeds. The leaves still have to deliver nutrients and are only cut off when they have been drawn in. Maintenance continues seamlessly during this phase. Fertilizing with compost and watering in dry conditions maintain the water and nutrient balance. After the dead foliage has been cut back, daffodil bulbs can be used for summer in the bed or in the dark cellar. Daffodils in the pot and in the bowl are also looked after after flowering, so that the flower festival repeats itself next spring.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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