Daffodils Mother’s Favorite Spring Flower

4. Daffodils Mother’s Favorite Spring Flower A Special Exhibit for the New Vernon Garden Club Standard Flower Show April 28, 2008 by Denise Bridgens-Collins

5. Key Information Sources Daffodils for North American Gardens by Brent & Becky Heath The Book of Botanical Prints by Basilius Beslar The American Daffodil Society for all photos except the photo from the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society Daffodil Show The Royal Horticultural Society

8. A daffodil by any other name… Genus: Narcissus ~ the formal Latin term for the whole genus of these (often sunny yellow) bulbous plants of the Amaryllis family

9. A daffodil by any other name… Common name for all members of the genus Narcissus: Daffodil

10. A daffodil by any other name… Are “jonquils” daffodils? Yes, and they are the seventh division of the thirteen divisions of daffodils. Sometimes daffodils are referred to by those in the Southeast as “jonquils”.

11. A daffodil by any other name… Are “buttercups” daffodils? Some Midwesterners call daffodils “buttercups”.

12. Daffodil AnatomyCourtesy ofDaffodils for North American Gardens by Brent & Becky Heath

13. Best Bloom in Show at the Royal Horticultural Society Daffodil Show, London, April 3-4, 2007 Division 1: Trumpet Daffodils Royal Horticultural Society

14. Daffodil Trivia or little known fascinating facts about Narcissus Great Britain leads the world in the creation of hybrids & overall production of Narcissus bulbs.

15. During the depression, daffodils were known as the “poor man’s rose”. Despite hard times, daffodil farmers found a ready market.

16. 2007 National Gold Winner “Hartlebury” American Daffodil Society

17. The size of the bulb will often, but not always, determine the number of blooms.

18. Wendover Division 7: Jonquilla Daffodils American Daffodil Society

19. Mesa Verde Division 12: Miscellaneous Daffodils American Daffodil Society

20. Practically speaking, daffodils: survive in all but the hottest (zone 10) & coldest (zones 1, 2, & 3) of areas. are tolerant of most soils having good drainage.

21. Practically speaking, daffodils: are drought tolerant in all seasons except spring. are almost pest-free ~ deer pass them by.

22. Saint Louie Louie Division 6: Cyclamineus Daffodils American Daffodil Society

23. Watieri Division 13: Species, Wild Variants, and Wild Hybrids American Daffodil Society

24. An important fact Cut daffodils secrete a fluid that will poison any other type of flower sharing a vase! Mother never mixes her cut daffodils! But its fine to plant them in the ground next to any other plant.

26. Hmmm, they seem easy to grow…and very pretty, so maybe I’ll plant some. Any advice? Plant in the fall when the ground temperature is at or below 60 degrees F, at a depth of 6 to 8 inches.

27. General rule of thumb for larger bulbs (2 to 3 inches in diameter): plant at a depth which is 3 to 4 times the height of the bulb.

28. More on planting… Create a bulb bed by building up the bulb bed from grade level with hummus-rich soil, approximately 6 to 8 inches above the surrounding site.

29. And yet more… How far apart to plant? 3 X the width of the bulb.

30. Which end goes down? How to position the bulb in the ground? Plant with the bulb base down. However if you accidentally plant it sideways or upside down, its strong roots will eventually pull the bulb into the correct position.

31. Cornish Cream Division 10: Bulbocodium Hybrids American Daffodil Society

32. Q & A • My “easy to grow” daffodils have stopped blooming? What happened? • Daffodils will cease blooming when the soil becomes deficient in certain nutrients. Top dressing in the fall with a 5-10-12 fertilizer or possibly 5-10-20 (5% nitrogen, 10% potash, 20% potassium) helps.

33. If you don’t fertilize in the fall, apply spring dressing of water soluble fertilizer (5-11-26 ) between emergence and blooming.

34. Q & A • My daffodils are looking pale, it seems like they’ve lost their vibrant color. Do I need new bulbs? • Try this first: Sprinkle a ½ cup of Epsom salts per 10 square feet in the fall or early spring as a top dressing. • No guarantees but this is thought by some to increase the color intensity of those in the red and pink range.

35. Q & A • My daffodils aren’t reproducing…what should I do? • Fertilize!

37. Quiz True or False • Deer find daffodils especially tasty.

38. Quiz True or False 2. Other flowers do well sharing a vase with cut daffodils.

39. Quiz True or False 3. Daffodil bulbs can be planted in spring or fall.

40. Quiz Answers • Deer find daffodils especially tasty. False

41. Quiz Answers 2.Other flowers do well sharing a vase with cut daffodils. False, cut daffodils will poison the other flowers.

42. Quiz Answers • Daffodil bulbs can be planted in spring or fall. True, but they bloom only in the spring and if planted in the spring, will bloom the next spring.

43. Bonus trick question coming up next! For the brave at heart and those with a blooming sense of humor…

44. Bonus Trick Question You have a lovely, small daffodil bed and decide to expand it. If you carefully plant 5 dozen King Alfred daffodil bulbs under the full moon early one warm and lovely October evening and…

45. Bonus Trick Question, cont’d Then, on a whim, plant 3 dozen Blue Giant hyacinth bulbs by tossing them over your left shoulder, in the general direction of the daffodil bed, then sprinkle with a bulb booster, such as Bulb-tone, and top with good soil and…

46. Bonus Trick Question, cont’d they don’t suffer drought in the spring or get dug up by the neighbor's dog (your dog would never do anything like that!)

47. Bonus Trick Question,cont’d in 2 and a half years, theoretically, how many total daffodils should be blooming in your lovely bulb bed?

48. Bonus Trick Question, cont’d Hint: Theoretically, each year a daffodil bulb is in the ground, it doubles in number.

49. Answer to Bonus Trick Question Answer is after the Credits slide.