Spring color begins with fall planting

For gardeners, the arrival of fall means it's time to plant spring-flowering bulbs: tulips, crocuses and, perhaps most valuable of all, daffodils.

The appeal of daffodils lies in their beauty and durability. Their flowers come in a range of colors (yellow, of course, but white, too, often with contrasting cups of orange or pink) and in a variety of shapes and sizes. They bring the spark of life to the early-spring landscape, asking little in return. Planted in a sunny location where the soil drains well, most daffodils are willing to come back year after year, their clumps increasing in size over time. And deer and rodents leave them alone.

There is a daffodil for every climate and every taste. Gardeners in the northern half of the country may have the most varieties to choose from because the majority of daffodils available today were selected by hybridizers who reside in cold climates.

"For those who want a classic golden trumpet, we suggest 'Golden Harvest.' For a good white, we point them to 'Ice Follies.' If they want something a little more exotic, we suggest a double like 'Tahiti,'" said Sjoerd Van Eeden, of the Amsterdam Tulip Museum in Holland.

Daffodils can be used in a variety of different ways. They look perfectly natural planted in clusters in a garden bed, where they serve as islands of early color. If space permits, they can also be planted en masse in formal beds.

Many gardeners like to naturalize daffodils - that is, to plant them so that they look as though they had come up on their own. The ideal location is a rough grassy area that doesn't have to be mowed until the daffodil foliage yellows in preparation for summer dormancy. The bulbs should be set out in informal groupings called drifts, rather than straight lines. To avoid even a hint of human purpose, some people go so far as to toss the bulbs over their shoulders and plant them where they fall.

Tim Schipper, owner of Colorblends, gives four basic rules to ensure success.

1) Daffodils must be planted where they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight - even after they have finished flowering and the trees have leafed out.

2) Daffodils must be planted in soil that drains well. Areas where water stands after a rain storm should be avoided. Bulbs in constantly wet soil will rot.

3) Daffodil bulbs benefit from a light fertilizing just as the shoots emerge in late winter or early spring. A light scattering of a low-nitrogen fertilizer, preferably organic, is plenty.

4) After daffodils flower, their leaves must be allowed to turn yellow before they are cut. If the foliage is cut too early, the bulbs may not have the energy to bloom the next spring. Braiding or tying foliage is also harmful: It reduces the amount of leaf area exposed to the sun.

Courtesy of ARA Content.