When and how to plant daffodils, planting and care in the open field
Daffodils are one of the most popular bulbous garden flowers. They bloom first and signal the arrival of spring. To have colorful perennials adorn your lawn every year, it's important to know when to plant daffodils. The flowers are unpretentious and hardy. Some varieties are able to withstand frost down to -30. But, whatever the variety, for good health, the flowers need moderate heat, cold, water, and the storage conditions for the bulbs must also be observed.
Description and characteristics
Narcissus is an early spring perennial from the Amaryllis family. Different types are used in landscaping.6 white or yellow petals frame the central bell, which differs in shape and color depending on the variety. The height of the stem reaches 50 centimeters.The fruit of a daffodil is a three-chambered capsule filled with seeds.
Daffodils reproduce by bulbs, babies, like tulips, but less whimsical. Dense bulbs are oval, round, pointed or - like a union of children, with a common bottom. Every year they sprout new roots that live for 10 months. Daffodils can grow in one area for 10 years. The flowers are suitable for gardening and growing in pots.
Features of the choice of landing dates
Daffodils need time to develop by flowering in April, May, so they are planted in the fall. To form flower buds and strengthen the roots of the bulb, choose September or the end of August. Before frost, the length of the roots will reach 20 centimeters, which will contribute to better adaptation of the plant. When planted at the end of October, the roots will grow short - 5 centimeters.
If the daffodils are to be planted in winter or spring, they are previously stored in the refrigerator for 2 months. Tempering improves the rooting and flowering ability of flowers. The bulbs are planted from the refrigerator in the second half of April, at 5-7 degrees Celsius.
Seat selection
The main requirement of the site is access to the sun and the absence of drafts. Intense light prolongs flowering and helps form large buds. Therefore, you should choose an area on the sunny side of the garden. Daffodils are not picky about the ground. Light soil with drainage is suitable for them. Preference should be given to earth of neutral acidity, which absorbs moisture well, loam, rather than sandy loam.
Landing
Good quality bulbs and suitable soil promote early flowering.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Not suitable for planting:
- material purchased in the spring;
- flowering plant;
- big onion surrounded by small children.
Soft bulbs with external imperfections will not sprout. For planting, one solid bulb is suitable, with an even surface, without damaging the bottom. Before planting, the bulbs are disinfected in a solution of 3% fungicide or 1% potassium permanganate.
How to prepare the ground
The soil is prepared in 1.5-2 months. Sandy soil is improved with humus. The saturated humus layer is diluted with sand. The impurities spread on the surface of the soil and the site is dug up. Mineral fertilizers, humus or wood ash are placed in the planting holes.
how to plant
The bulbs are planted at a depth equal to its triple height. The average depth of the bookmark is 10-25 centimeters. The lighter the soil, the deeper the setting. The minimum distance between plants is 10 centimeters. Small children can be planted next to each other, which will then be transplanted. Between the largest bulbs, 15-20 centimeters recede. At close range, the flowers will grow and shade each other.
In the summer, the beds are dug with the addition of peat or compost, superphosphate is added. In autumn, the soil is loosened, holes are dug, drainage and sand are laid at the bottom. Then the onion is laid with the pointed end up, watered and buried.
In the spring, before planting, the soil is dug up with humus, sand and fertilizers combined with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Ashes and sand are poured into the hole, an onion is placed. Then the hole is half-covered with a mixture of soil and compost. Then they water it, completely fill the hole and tamp the soil.
the reproduction
To quickly increase the number of daffodils on the site, use the method of reproduction by bulbous babies. Plants grown from seed will bloom only after 3-4 years.
Children
A bulb produces 2 to 4 babies, which flower in the first year. Signs of maturation in babies:
- the flower has grown;
- buds smaller than the previous year.
The period of division falls on 3-4 years of plant life. They dig it, separate the children and install them. Separating babies is the easiest way to reproduce.
Seeds
Seed propagation is suitable for wild daffodils. Hybrids lose their species differences. The crates are harvested in July and at the end of autumn. After harvest, fresh, moist seeds are planted in containers or in open ground, laying three seed diameters deep. The bulb forms in 1 to 2 years. Then they are transplanted or transplanted from boxes into the ground in the garden. Flowers on seedlings will appear in 6-7 years, on small-flowered varieties - in 3-4 years.
Growth care and rules
Flowers love water, but fungus and gray rot appear in waterlogged soil. In addition to the rules of watering, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of transplanting and caring for faded plants.
watering
You need to pour 2 buckets of water per square meter so that the moisture completely permeates the roots. Soil without mulch should be loosened. This regime is observed during growth and flowering.
Loosening
Loosening the soil helps retain moisture and oxygen, which promote the normal functioning of daffodils. It is necessary to loosen it after watering, carefully, not going deep into the ground, so as not to touch the bulbs close to the surface.
To facilitate the care of flowers, the soil of the flower beds is covered with mulch. Then you can do without loosening.
Temperature
Daffodils need warmth to ripen and flower, and cold for growth hormone buildup. The soil temperature for the activation of sprouts is + 10-12 degrees, the air temperature - +15 degrees. The average ripening temperature is +17. At 0-9 degrees, the bulbs accumulate phytohormone, which is responsible for the intensity of flower growth in the spring.
Fertilization
Daffodils are fed 3 times a year:
- after the emergence of sprouts, 30 grams of mineral dressing per square meter are applied in the spring;
- during bud formation - 20 grams, and repeat for long flowering;
- after the end of the growing season, fertilize with phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 2: 1, at the rate of 50 grams per square meter of garden.
Fertilize simultaneously with watering and loosening.
Disease and pest control
The main parasites are called:
- bear;
- slug;
- nematode;
- daffodil fly;
- root mite.
To protect against pests, the bulbs are soaked in hot water at +43 degrees. Infected plants are sprayed with insecticides.
Basically, daffodils are affected by fungus and mold:
- fusarium - starting from the bulbous bottom, covers the plant from the bottom up. Onions soften, blanch from the plaque. The external sign of the fungus is yellow and brown leaves, which then dry out;
- botrytis, gray rot - manifests as a gray spot with black spots under the leaves covering the bulbs, light brown spots on the leaves, rotting of stems and buds;
- pinchy rot - deprives onions of the ability to sprout, arises from excess moisture.
To prevent the appearance of rot, the bulbs are soaked for 30 minutes in a fungicide solution before planting, and at the start of the development cycle, the plants are sprayed with a 1.5% Bordeaux mixture.
Daffodils suffer from viruses:
- white and yellow stripes;
- mosaic virus;
- ring spot.
General signs of the disease: shredded bulbs, poorly developed buds, streaks, spots on the leaves.
How to avoid the disease:
- remove damaged onions;
- disinfect healthy children before planting;
- destroy pests, carry out preventive spraying.
Sick plants should be removed so that other flowers do not become infected.
Transfer
Summer is a good time to transplant daffodils. Better is August, which coincides with the formation of roots. The last time is late September, after the buds wilt and the leaves turn yellow.
The site is prepared in advance, as for normal planting. How to transplant:
- pluck the onion;
- remove the remains of leaves and pods;
- rinse, soak in a solution of potassium permanganate, then separate the children;
- lay out the onions in the shade to dry them.
Waiting for the landing time, they are stored at +17 degrees Celsius and below. At other times, transplanting will damage the plants. Transplanted in July, June, they will germinate earlier than expected, in October they will not survive the winter due to weak roots.
After flowering
When the daffodils have faded, water and loosen the beds abundantly for 2 weeks. If the bulbs are left to overwinter in the ground, mulching is necessary:
- remove dead leaves and stems from the garden;
- loosen the soil;
- Spread a layer of mulch 10 to 15 centimeters thick.
For coating use:
- peat;
- dry leaves;
- straw;
- wood ash.
A special coating is also suitable - agrospan, spunbond. The beds are covered when the ground has cooled and frozen. In the spring, the mulch is harvested after the last frosts.
What to do if daffodils have sprouted
When storing bulbs, it is important to regularly check their appearance. Prompt removal of soft and stained specimens will save planting material from fungal and virus infection. You can also see sprouted bulbs.
Reasons for sprouting bulbs outdoors:
- mild climate, warm autumn;
- planting too early in summer;
- prolonged thaw.
Bulbs wake up from increased heat and humidity in the store, unstable weather conditions. The process at the initial stage can be slowed down - move the bulbs to a colder place. In the garden, the thickness of the mulch layer should be increased by 2-5 centimeters, along the shoot. You should mulch after a cold spell, but before the temperature drops to -5 degrees. Sprouting indicates the development of roots, and digging them up will damage them. Therefore, it is better to leave the onions in the ground. Children of storage with sprouts 1-2 centimeters long will hold out until planting time if transferred to a brighter place.
If the shoot has reached 4 centimeters, the bulb should be urgently planted in containers with soil according to the rules of normal planting in open ground.
Major errors
Improper preparation and planting time lead to frost, early germination or lack of flowering.
Violation of the timing of planting and extraction of bulbs
You can not dig up a bulb with a stem and green leaves, otherwise useful substances will not accumulate there. It is also not recommended to delay transplanting and planting until late autumn - children will freeze or rot.
The bulbs are dug up in August, after the stems and leaves have dried. They can be kept in a semi-dark cellar, cellar at + 10-12 degrees, with constant ventilation.
Direct sun exposure
The sun dries out the bulbs and they become unusable. If the children are placed in a sunny place, the plants will bloom late.
Plant bulbs without refrigeration
The cold stimulates the immune system and the growth of daffodils. Therefore, onions should be stored at low temperatures. Without refrigeration, the flower will become weak and painful.
Tips & Tricks
Additional instructions:
- in case of a sudden cold snap, the bulbs should be covered with dry leaves, peat;
- do not fertilize daffodil beds with manure;
- remove withered buds, directing the forces of the plant to fruiting and the development of bulbs;
- if the babies do not separate well from the main bulb, they must be loosened;
- if the daughter onions were to be broken, the breaks should be sprinkled with crushed coal, ash;
- living roots of daffodils cannot be cut from the bulb;
- large bulbs should be chosen, small ones are more vulnerable to fungi and viruses;
- after the leaves and stems fall, the bulbs are hard to find in the ground, so it's best to dig them up as soon as the leaves turn yellow.
Every 4-5 years, daffodil beds should be moved to another part of the garden to prevent disease and stimulate flowering.