How to Grow Daffodils/Narcissi (in Seattle, PNW, Zone 8b/9a)

While not as popularly adored as their spring counterpart, the tulip, nothing quite says spring like the cheery daffodil/narcissus. And daffodils are one of the easiest flowers to grow!

For many, the picture that comes to mind of the daffodil is a huge yellow flower with a big yellow cup, and indeed that is usually the first daffodil variety to bloom. But there are thousands of distinct daffodil varieties in all sorts of shades of white, yellow, pink, orange, cream, peach, salmon, and more. 

Daffodils aren't known to have the greatest vase life (usually 4-6 days), but since there is not a lot else blooming at the time, they still make a great cut flower because their cheery faces and often tantalizing fragrance make up for their fleeting beauty. For the longest vase life, cut the flowers before they have opened. (See below for more tips on harvesting daffodils for cut flowers). 

Here's my comprehensive guide on how to grow these beautiful flowers. 

(This is my perspective and experience as a flower farmer in the PNW, Seattle, WA, zone 8b/9a - while much of the information is applicable no matter your location, some adjustments might be needed for optimal growing in your specific climate.)

How to Grow Daffodils from Bulbs

The majority of daffodils are grown from bulbs. Bulbs are primarily bred and produced overseas (such as in the Netherlands) for shipment into the United States (and around the world) in the fall each year. Some flower farms in Mount Vernon, WA, USA (home to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival), such as Roozengaarde, are also big producers of daffodil bulbs. Flower farmers will often place their wholesale orders in the prior spring to secure the best colors/varieties. Everyday gardeners can place their orders in the fall. 

If you are not going to plant immediately upon receiving them, store the bulbs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place prior to planting.

Where to Buy Daffodil Bulbs

Not all bulbs are created equal. Since the energy for the daffodil to grow comes from the bulb, the larger the bulbs is, the larger and showier the flower will be, and the stronger the plant will be to go on and produce bulblets (baby bulbs) for future daffodil plants. Daffodils are measured by the circumference of the bulbs, in centimeters. 14-16+ cm bulbs are the top size bulbs. These are the ones most professional flower farmers seek to buy (and these are the ones we are selling in our bulb sale). Big box stores, on the other hand, primarily sell the leftover smaller-sized bulbs. 

What Types of Daffodils to Plant

Daffodils are divided into 13 divisions by the Royal Horticultural Society. 

Which daffodils you want to plant in your garden is primarily a matter of color and style preference, as all daffodils tend to naturalize and multiply well over the years, and are very pest resistant. Choosing a mix of daffodils that bloom early, mid, and late will ensure you have daffodils in your garden for the longest stretch possible in the spring. 

Large cupped daffodils (such as Scarlet O'Hara and Salome) are some of the most classically-shaped daffodils with their large trumpets/cups. They are usually some of the earliest to bloom. 

Double daffodils (such as Candy Princess and Erlicheer) have multiple rings of petals and/or frilly trumpets. 

For daffodils with multiple flowers per stem, look to Triandrus varieties (such as Thalia) and Tazetta varieties (such as the double-flowered Erlicheer). Tazetta daffodils often have the most heavenly fragrance. 

When to Plant Daffodil Bulbs

As a rule of thumb, daffodils can be planted any time the ground is not frozen. Since our ground rarely freezes in Seattle, we have quite a long planting window.

Don't plant them too early! It is recommended that you wait until your nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 40s (Fahrenheit) or below. If you plant when the temperatures are too warm, it could confuse the daffodil into putting on top growth instead of the root growth that is needed for a robust plant. 

Early January is about the latest you can plant daffodils in our region and expect blooms in the spring. If you plant after January, you may get only foliage, and no flowers. It's still worth planting, however, because that foliage will power the bulb to produce flowers in future years. 

Planting Daffodils in the Garden

Daffodils are more tolerant of shade than other spring flowers. They will grow best in a spot that receives 4-6 hours of sun per day at the time of blooming. The soil should be well-draining, otherwise they are prone to rotting. As long as the soil is well-draining, daffodils do well in raised or un-raised garden beds, as well as containers. 

Daffodils should be planted at a depth of 2-3 times the length of the bulb. This is typically around 6-8 inches deep, meaning there will be about 4-6 inches of soil on top of the bulb. 

Since daffodils naturalize and multiply extremely well, bulbs should be planted about 6 inches apart so they have room to grow and spread over the years. 

In general, daffodil bulbs should be planted with the pointy end up, though the plant will naturally grow towards the sun regardless of the direction it's planted in, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. 

How to Care for Your Planted Daffodils

Daffodils are one of the easiest flowers to grow. They are mostly a set it and forget it kind of plant.

Protecting Daffodils from Pests

Because daffodils release a poisonous sap when punctured or cut, they are typically completely unbothered by rats, rabbits, and deer. They can however fall victim to snails and slugs. 

I find that these gastropods often attack the bloom just as it's pushing through the surface of the soil. Because the bloom is closed at that time, the flowers become like those paper snowflakes we made as kids - there's these annoying, ugly holes in the edges of all the petals, and they frequently turn brown as well. Yuck.  

To combat these pests, I recommend liberally applying a product called Sluggo Plus every couple of weeks during the growing season. The active ingredient in this product is Spinosad which is an incredible substance that is detrimental to the critters we hate, yet totally organic and non-toxic to humans, kids, pets, and most beneficial insects (when it's in a spray form, it can be harmful to bees, but in this case the product is pellets so the bees remain unharmed). You can usually purchase this product at your local Costco starting in January into the spring - stock up! (Not sponsored, I just love a good deal. Our Costco price is $28.99 for the 5lb bottle which is a huge discount from elsewhere). 

Watering Your Daffodils

If you are in an area like Seattle that gets sufficient rainfall during the fall, winter, and spring, you likely don't have to water your daffodils at all. I never do! And they are very tolerant of dry summers, requiring no additional water during times that we have little to no rain. 

Fertilizing Your Daffodils

Newly planted daffodil bulbs contain all the necessary energy to bloom for one year without any added fertilizers. But to keep them going for future years, I recommend topping your beds off with several inches of high-quality compost every year. (Some local places to buy in bulk: Dirt Exchange, Pacific Topsoils, Cedar Grove, Burien Bark, ZooDoo from the Woodland Park Zoo). If you do this, your plants can thrive with minimal added fertilizers. 

Deadheading/Cleaning Up Your Daffodils

Be sure to deadhead your daffodils after they are done flowering. Cutting off the spent bloom directs the plant's energy into the bulbs rather than it wasting energy trying to produce seeds. Cut right below the bloom head, leaving as much stem as you can. Then leave the stems and leaves alone so they can gather energy for next year's blooms. Once they've turned brown, they can be cleaned from your garden (or left to decompose naturally). 

Harvesting the Blooms for Cut Flowers

Daffodil stems grow separately from their leaves so they can be harvested freely with no impact on future blooms. (This is in contrast to tulips whose stem and leaves are fused together.)

For the best vase life, harvest the flowers when the bulb is showing color and has reached the "gooseneck stage" when it's bent at a 90 ° angle. Cut singles varieties before the flower has opened. For doubles, you want to cut them when they are just starting to open. For varieties with multiple blooms per stem, harvest when 1-2 of the flowers have opened. Daffodils will continue to color up and open after they have been cut. 

For longer stems, rather than cutting where the stem meets the dirt, instead grasp that area and gently tug to separate the stem from the bulb. This gives you an additional several inches of stem length that was below the soil (remember that we put 4-6 inches of soil on top of the bulb).

Unopened daffodils can be stored dry in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I typically store them vertically in a small vase or bucket (with no water in it). 

Daffodils release a poisonous sap when cut that is harmful to other flowers. If you want to make a mixed bouquet with daffodils and other spring flowers, you should allow the daffodils to sit alone in water for several hours in order for the sap to flow out. They can then be safely mixed with flowers like tulips for a beautiful spring bouquet. But don't cut the daffodil ends again or you should repeat the process. This step is not necessary for bouquets containing only daffodils. 

Let me know if you have any other questions and happy growing!