Wondering what to do when daffodils have finished flowering keep reading. Daffodils are common indoor and outdoor plants and are a favorite of many people. If you take good care of your daffodil bulbs, you can have beautiful flowers for many years.
What are Daffodils?
The word “daffodil” comes from the Welsh “cenhad-fodlon,” which means “lily of the valley.”
The Daffodil is a flower that has been cultivated for centuries. The earliest evidence of daffodils being used as medicine was in ancient Egypt and Greece. In both cultures, they were used to treat various ailments such as eye conditions, fever, and even leprosy.
Daffodil Flower Meaning
Daffodils are also known for their association with death and rebirth. It is said that the goddess Persephone was picking flowers when she was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld.
When she returned after her time there, a single daffodil grew where she had been standing – representing new life after death.
What To Do When Daffodils Have Finished Flowering
It is important to know that not all daffodils are winter hardy. If you have a bulbous daffodil, it is best to plant them in the fall so it can bloom in the spring. However, if you have a long-lasting variety, they will only need to be planted once.
The best time to plant these bulbs is in the fall or early spring. Planting them in the summer can lead to them not flowering until next year because of the hot weather.
If you want your daffodils to keep blooming at all times of the year, plant them in pots and bring them inside when they start losing their leaves and go dormant outside.
If your daffodils are not the cold-hardy varieties, lift them from the ground to prevent them from rotting.
What To Do With Indoor Daffodils After Flowering
After your indoor daffodils have finished flowering you should allow them to finish growing until they die off completely. Allowing them to finish the growing process is important because it allows the daffodil plants to store energy in the bulbs.
If you cut them too early, the bulbs will not have enough energy to support plant growth the following season.
After removing the dead plant parts, you can either keep them in the pots or lift them out.
Should I Remove Daffodil Bulbs From Pots
It is not a must to remove daffodil bulbs from pots after the plant has finished blooming. You should begin by removing all the dead plant parts carefully.
You can either snip the dead bits off right at the base. You can also twist the leaves at the base followed by a light pulling motion. This will get rid of the dead parts without damaging the bulbs.
Can I Lift Daffodils After Flowering
Yes, you can lift daffodils after flowering. However, you should wait until all the foliage has withered and died off. In most cases, this happens after about 6 weeks after blooming.
When lifting the bulbs snip the wilted foliage right at the soil level. Carefully lift the bulbs by digging several inches all around the bulb. Dig carefully to avoid slicing the daffodil bulbs during the process.
When the soil around the bulb is loose, then you can easily lift them from the soil.
How to Care for Daffodils Bulbs After Lifting Them
Once you have lifted your daffodil bulbs make sure you store them properly so that they can sprout and produce healthy plants and blooms the following season.
Begin by shaking off any excess soil from the bulbs. You don’t have to remove every soil particle just get rid of the excess.
Spread the bulbs in an area that is cool and shady. This step is important to avoid storing moist bulbs. Moist bulbs have very high chances of rotting. Even if only some of the bulbs are moist, when they begin to rot, they will infect those that were dry.
You can then store the bulbs in paper bags, crates, mesh bags, as well as non-plastic egg cartons. You should not store bulbs in plastic bags.
Even when using the right storage material, avoid overcrowding the bulbs. Don’t pack too many layers. In essence, daffodil bulbs need good ventilation.
If the bulbs don’t have good air circulation they will rot. During the storage period, keep checking on the bulbs once in a while. Check for any that are rotting and diseased and get rid of them.
Check this post on how and when to establish daffodil bulbs both indoors in pots as well as outdoors in the garden.
Final Thoughts
I personally like lifting my daffodil bulbs after every growing season. When I lift them, I can establish them in a different location the following season.
Even when I have established daffodils in pots, I still lift the bulbs after they finish flowering. I like establishing the bulbs in fresh soil the next season that is filled with nutrients.
I hope this post on what to do after daffodils have finished flowering was helpful. Please follow me on Flowerthings Pinterest if you love flowers and house plants.
